


Wouldn't It Be Nice

by LocalVodkaAunt



Series: Love Thy Neighbor [2]
Category: One Piece
Genre: ASL are roommates, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Apartment Complex AU, Falling In Love, Graphic Depictions of Illness, Multi, Self-Doubt, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-22
Updated: 2019-04-22
Packaged: 2019-12-30 10:35:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 36,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18313784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LocalVodkaAunt/pseuds/LocalVodkaAunt
Summary: Ace has a scholarship, a workout routine and an affordable apartment inside the city. Life is good. At least until he falls asleep on Hot Dude from third floor in the elevator. Caught between neighborhood rivalries, his stupid crush and a full blown food war, he doesn’t really have time to deal with a potentially deadly illness. Thank god his friends are there to cheer him up.Or: The fic where Ace gets sick and the local gang of useless gays tries to help him out.(This fic can be read as a standalone)





	1. 1.

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for the OP Big Bang 2018/19. I'm so happy I had the opportunity to partcipate. This is my first long fic and I'm terribly nervous how you'll like it. 
> 
> Thank everyone I was able to learn from. Tazz for moral support, Bea for being incredibly patient as my Beta for this fic and [denpasei](http://denpasei.tumblr.com/) for the beautiful awesome art that I don't deserve. Visit their blog and see more of the awesomeness! [You can find the art here.](http://denpasei.tumblr.com/post/184355518329/my-pieces-for-the-op-big-bang-i-got-to-illustrate) I'll also link it in the relevant chapters. 
> 
>  
> 
> Please tell me how you liked this fic, what could be better or just leave me an emoji in the comments!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ace's life goes bad from one second to the next.

It all begins when Ace falls asleep in an elevator.

 

It’s not like he means to do it. One minute he’s checking himself out in the mirror that spans one of the four walls surrounding him, thinking his outfit is not half bad today. Short pants, tank top, his favorite hat with his trademark goggles - he would do himself. The next, he’s not standing anymore, sitting instead, and everything is black. 

 

What happened? Where is he? Frantically, he opens his eyes as wide as possible. Feeling his breath momentarily quicken, he scrambles up reflexively, as if that would help him. He still can’t see anything.

 

Ace stretches out his hands, furiously fumbling around, when he hears a calm and deep voice. 

 

“Easy there. It’s just your hat, it slipped.” Just after that, it’s light again. He notices he still is very much in the elevator, he just sunk into the corner he stood in just moments ago with a bit of drool gathered in the corner of his mouth. 

 

Well, that’s just embarrassing.

 

Also, there is a man staring at him.

 

While his hand moves automatically to wipe away the spit, Ace stares right back at the man. Last thing he remembers he was completely alone. He must have been out long enough for the elevator to make another stop.

 

The man is older than Ace, maybe in his late thirties or early forties. He is tall and the most distinguishable features is a mop of blond hair that just seems to sit on his head, not growing out like it would normally. Luffy would say he looks like a pineapple.

 

“Are you okay, yoi?” the other man asks.

 

Still slightly disoriented, Ace nods slowly. “I guess so,” he answers. “Must have blacked out for a sec.”

 

“That happen to you often?” The blond guy still looks at him intensely, like Ace has dirt on his face or something. 

 

Then again, he did drool.

 

Oh god. Could this situation get any worse? 

 

“Nope, I’m just as surprised as you are.” Ace shuffles to his feet. Sure, he had been tired today, as he usually is, but nothing that would validate falling asleep spontaneously. He needs to get out of here as soon as possible and leave this moment behind him. His face is going red at the thought of someone seeing him like this and then goes even redder as he realizes that the other man can see his blush. Make it stop, he thinks to himself, but it doesn’t work. Instead he feels the heat in his face almost painfully. 

 

“You should get that checked out.”

 

Ace looks at the elevator buttons. They are on the ground floor. When he came in, he was on his way up. No wonder someone else got in if he made it all the way down here again. 

 

“Yeah, I guess I will.” He has no intention of doing so. He just wants to go home and have dinner. Pressing his floor button, he looks in the mirror again and sees his eyes, which still look way too big.

 

As they move up the seconds stretch uncomfortably. Ace looks at the other man again. If he met him under different circumstances, he would have thought he was hot as hell and at least tried to chat him up. As it is now, all he can do is pray that this will be over soon. Falling asleep on someone - smooth. 

 

Finally, after moments that seem like eternity, he reaches his floor. As he makes his way out of the elevator, he can hear the blonde guy call out: “Get better, yoi!”

 

He doesn’t look back. He just heads to the door of the apartment he shares with Luffy and Sabo. As soon as he opens the door he hears Luffy scream from the kitchen. 

 

“Ace, you’re late!”

 

Confused, he kicks off his shoes and enters the flat. He should be right on time. As he rounds the corner he sees the big clock they hung in the kitchen because of Sabo’s talent to always forget what time it is. Its seven.

 

When he entered the elevator it was half past six. He knows, because he checked his email while he waited for the elevator to arrive.

 

What the fuck just happened?

__

  
  


The next day, there is a note on the front door of their apartment building.

 

“ _ Dear neighbors, _ ” it reads, “ _ please remember that the elevator is not a recreational area, but a means of reaching your flat. We sincerely beg of you to refrain from any and all sorts of sleeping in there. _ ”

 

As Ace reads it, he feels his head go hot again. He doesn’t know if he should be embarrassed or angry, because if he had any control over it, this would certainly not have happened. He could have been robbed. Also, he missed half an hour of his life and doesn’t know why. He can’t imagine what his neighbors must have thought of him. It must have seemed like he was passed out drunk in the corner.

 

Shaking his head, he leaves the building, hoping that he can forget all of this as soon as possible.

 

__

  
  


It happens again that day. Ace is sitting in the library, studying. He kind of likes it here. He loves his brothers, but with Luffy’s enthusiasm for boxing and Sabo’s political activism, it’s always loud. And since they are all extroverts, there is always someone else there. It doesn’t matter if it’s one of Luffy’s friends, one of their neighbors or Sabo’s ‘comrades’ from the local Antifa-group he joined recently,there’s always someone.

 

But here, the books quiet the sound of footsteps and loud noises are forbidden. Sometimes, if he needs a break, he comes here just to sit between the shelves for a while and feel his thoughts quiet down.

 

Since everything seems to be dulled in here, even the light coming through the big windows, it’s no surprise for Ace when he wakes up, head resting on the book he was reading just moments before. Besides, anatomy is a really boring subject, he could do without having to learn every bit of muscle or bone in the human body by heart.

 

Ace reaches for his phone to find that, this time, he didn’t miss nearly as much time as yesterday. Only five minutes are gone from his memory.

 

It’s a mystery to him. Sure, he doesn’t sleep particularly well at night, but he’s not an insomniac either. It’s not like he’s actually getting not enough sleep, it’s just that it’s not very enjoyable when it happens. He wakes up a lot, but it’s never for long. An hour was the worst he has been awake at night, which certainly doesn’t warrant falling asleep without noticing in broad daylight.

 

Frustrated, Ace gets up and collects his stuff. He won’t get anything else done today, not when the sleeping mystery, as he swiftly terms it, remains unsolved.

 

As he strolls out the library, he thinks about whether he’d done  anything different these last few days, but everything was as it had been since he’d moved in with Luffy and Sabo. He’d gotten up in the morning, taken a shower, attended his classes, trained with Sabo and got dinner with his brothers. Koala visited, and Zoro was with Luffy in the evening, just hanging out on their couch and watching his brother play a video game or five. Vivi came over and gave Sabo’s wallet back that Nami had relieved him of the previous day. They ate a lot of pulled pork that Zoro stole from his roommate. He didn’t drink, didn’t do drugs anyway, or did anything special.

 

So what has changed? What made him fall asleep on the spot twice?

 

He decides to get some coffee from one of the vending machines in the lobby before heading home. Maybe the caffeine will help him stay awake. 

 

There are students gathered everywhere but Ace hardly notices them. He still feels confused and slightly sleepy, as if he’s going get pulled right back in. He tries to shake it off, but the feeling stays with him all the way down to the lobby, where he notices that he doesn’t have any money with him because Nami stole his wallet. 

 

Two days in a row.

 

Sighing, he leaves the building. He just wants to get home and go to bed, pull the covers over his head and pretend the world doesn’t exist for a few hours.

Of course, it doesn’t really work out that way. When Ace gets to his apartment building, he feels even more exhausted. He sees Sanji’s car parked in front of the building and hopes there is a chance of readymade food when he comes home. He is really glad about Zoro’s habit of upsetting his roommate in every possible way, because as often as it ends in destruction, there’s always a fair chance of it involving any kind of meal. Which comes in handy when one keeps in mind how much Luffy alone can stomach at every given time. Also, he has to get his wallet back from Vivi. 

 

Nami and Vivi live in the flat under theirs, and Nami once stormed in to yell at them about the loud noise coming from their flat. She forgot to leave again, and since then she had become a regular guest as well as always out to relieve them of their valuables. She says it’s retaliation for all the food Luffy steals from her fridge. Usually Vivi, who is a kind soul, manages to give it back without too much loss.

 

He thinks about how he is going to get all of this done and evade his brothers as he enters the building and promptly runs into someone else. His shoulders collide painfully with the collarbone of the other person. He lets out a surprised huff -  he could have sworn there was nobody there. As he straightens himself, he catches the scent of a woody cologne, before he looks up and stares straight into the eyes of the stranger who found him in the elevator yesterday.

 

“Sorry, yoi!”, the other growls. He looks disheveled, his blond hair stands up in any possible direction and there are heavy bags under his eyes. His shirt is buttoned all wrong and there is a spot on his face that looks suspiciously like jam.  “I didn’t see you there!” He is obviously in a hurry. That must also be where his bad mood comes from.

 

“Yeah, no problem,” Ace mumbles. Uneasiness tingles under his skin. He feels like he was caught in the act, even though the stranger cannot possibly know about his second spontaneous nap this afternoon. He desperately wished to never see him again and now he has met him under compromising circumstances twice in as many days.

 

Skip the food and his wallet. He is going straight to bed.

 

Ace takes a step back to leave, but stops as he sees the look the stranger gives him.

 

“Are you feeling better now?” he asks.

 

Why has he asked that? Why can’t he just let Ace live that down? His day was shitty enough up to this point, he doesn’t need another reminder of this weird uncomfortable situation.

 

“Yeah, feeling, great, thanks!” Ace replies and then, to cut off any further conversation, gives the other man a reassuring grin and turns around. “Have a nice day!” he calls as makes his way to the elevators.

 

Chances are, the attractive man is one of his neighbors. He doesn’t know if that’s a curse or a blessing. The odds, however, don’t seem to be in his favor.

Luffy is still out when Ace lets himself into the apartment, but he can see Sabo’s buckled boots standing in the hallway. He makes his way into the living room and finds his brother painting a huge banner with big, red letters. He has pushed the sofa and couch table to the wall. Paint boxes are scattered over the floor as well as scissors and needles. “No Nation, No Bord-“ is written on the white cloth.

 

Sabo looks up as Ace greets him. Paint is smeared over his nose, looking almost like a red scar. “You’re home early,” he notes.

 

“Got tired. Studying is boring.” Not that Sabo would know. His brother wouldn’t admit to it but, he is a huge overachiever. He never talks about it, but every time he gets a B in one of his assignments, Ace can feel his frustration when they train.

 

“I don’t get why my brothers have to be so intellectually challenged!” Sabo sighs and sets his brush down. “Did you check out Sanji’s yet?”

 

“Nah man, I’m gonna take a nap first. Save some grub from Luffy for me.” 

 

Sabo looks up to him, surprised. “Are you serious?”

 

Ace shudders. He should have gone straight to his room, he can feel the worry of his brother draining him. He knows he means well, they have always looked out for each other. But still.

He waves it off. “Yeah, just exhausted.”

 

Sabo’s eyes linger on him for a moment before he finally looks away. “Fine then. But you know how it is. I can make no guarantees.” The statement actually makes Ace chuckle silently. Even when they were kids,  they had a strict rule for eating together: Everybody fends for himself. No hard feelings after. They used to spend all of their days outside, exploring and fighting, and the appetite they developed then had never disappeared.

 

“I know the risk.”

 

Sabo smiles and looks down at the banner again. The conversation is over.

Relieved, Ace leaves the living room. When the door of his room finally closes behind him, he makes sure to lock it.

 

__

  
  


It’s early evening before Ace musters the courage to get up again. He noticed Luffy and Zoro come back and then leave again some time ago, talking about going bouldering. All he can hear now is Sabo’s voice silently cursing in the living room. As he enters, he finds his brother as he left him, but working on a cardboard sign. A few others lean against the table. There are plates all over the kitchen counter, a few glasses strewn across the room. There are more paint stains on Sabo’s face, green and blue joined the red ones and his fingers are sprinkled too.

 

“I managed to sneak something away for you!” he calls as Ace enters. He moves some of the cardboard signs, which reveal a heaped plate of pasta. Aces stomach lets out an audible groan. 

 

“Thank you, I really need it!” He gets the plate from where Sabo sits and settles down on the floor next to him, leaning against the couch on the wall. “So, what’s that for?”, he asks, tapping his food against the cardboard.

 

“Koala and me are leading the team for the demo on Saturday,” Sabo explains while Ace digs into his food. He only realizes how hungry he is now and is thankful for Sanji’s satisfying meals. “We think that Dragon plans something bigger next time and we want to do well to be on the front lines when he does.” 

 

Ace never really understood Sabo’s obsessiveness with politics. Sometimes he suspects that it’s somehow connected to his birth family, but Sabo rarely talks about them. All Ace knows are that they were politicians themselves and that Sabo was fairly well off before he was sent into foster care, where they eventually met. 

 

“Do you know what he might be up to?” Ace asks, before munching on.

 

“No, but we think it might have something to do with the recent lobbyism headlines.” When Ace sends him a blank look, he adds, “It was all over the news these past few weeks.”

 

Ace really doesn’t care about politics. His life is spent between classes, his house and the gym. On the weekends he competes in tournaments and that’s how things stay for him. What the higher ups are doing with their time usually doesn’t concern him.

 

“Whatever,” he answers, spitting out pieces of spaghetti as he does. “But do you really think this Dragon guy is alright?” 

 

Sometimes Sabo will bring friends home, but Ace knows these are not all members of whatever revolutionary cause he has pledged himself to this time. There seems to be whole infrastructure of people with different positions. Dragon seems to be the leader of them all, but Ace has never seen the guy, except for memes on the internet, where the only known photo of the guy is displayed with varying punchlines. All he knows about him is that he’s an anti-government activist and has a huge facial tattoo.

 

“Yes!” Sabo declared, louder than strictly necessary. Then, slightly calmer, “I have never met someone who actually wants to do something. The people I was with before…all they ever seemed to do was talk.”

 

Ace is not sure if he likes the way this is going. Sure, he has beaten up his own fair share of guys in training and brawls, but he always had good reason to start fights, despite his friends saying he is too impulsive for his own good. What Sabo’s is insinuating, however, sounds suspiciously like terrorism.

 

“That sounds illegal.” He never wanted to be one to stand in the way of his brothers goals, but still, a nagging little voice inside his head is sick with worry that Sabo might be drifting.

 

“What the government does is illegal!” Sabo lays down his pencil, or rather, slams, and paint spots land on the carpet behind him and on the couch.

 

Ace thinks of something clever to say, something that will not anger Sabo further but will also get his point across, when - how fitting - he falls asleep.

“Ace? Hey, Ace!” Groaning, he lifts his head. Something falls of his nose and falls down to the ground with a quiet splish. Sabo knees in front of him. His big eyes are filled with worry and his look is questioning.

 

“What happened? We were talking, and then-“ Sabo gestures. Ace follows his hand with his eyes and sees the plate, still rested on his knees. His face feels funny and when he touches it, his fingers come off slightly red. As red as the tomato sauce in on his spaghetti. Oh no.

 

“Fuck!” he curses loudly. He sets his plate down. This can’t be happening, that would be twice today. He just fell asleep, again and it was completely at random, like the first two times. And it was right after taking a nap, too. 

 

He makes his way to the bathroom. As he turns the light on and sees his face in the mirror, he feels all the color drain out of it. His whole face is smeared with noodles, sauce and little crumbs of meat. There is even some in his hair.

 

He will never live that one down.

 

Turning on the tap, he begins to wash himself. How could this be happening? He wishes he had answers.

 

The guy from the elevator comes to his mind. He said that Ace should get this checked out. And at this point he is starting to be so freaked out, he totally would - but he is college student and doctors are expensive.

 

Ace watches the water, now mixed with red and dirt, running down the washbasin. He’ll have to make do without one. And maybe it won’t happen again. Maybe today was just a bad day. He will do an extra set of push-ups before bed to tire himself out and then get a good night’s sleep. If he gets enough hours in and is too exhausted to remember his dreams, there is no way he will fall asleep during the day. People just don’t do that without reason.

 

Ace dries himself off and looks at himself in the mirror. He looks a bit spooked, but otherwise he is fine. And he will leave this episode behind him, moving on as he always has. No more embarrassment.

 

Sighting, he decides to get on with his evening and get his wallet back from Nami. Should his push up plan fail for any reason, at least tomorrow he will have enough change for the vending machines.

 

“Hey, Ace, everything alright?”, he hears Sabo call out as he makes his way through the hall. But for some reason, he can’t answer. His head just refuses to respond to the genuine worry in his brother’s voice. Nonetheless, he feels Sabo’s eyes burn holes in his back as he closes the apartment door behind him.

 

__

  
  


The next day, he meets Nami and Vivi on his way down. They both look untypically nice, Vivi’s long turquoise hair falls in open waves over her shoulder and he can see some heavy eyeliner framing her eyes. She wears a long white dress that compliments both her hair color and her brown skin tone. She looks like a princess. Opposed to that, Nami’s put on some ridiculously short hot pants and a top that clings to her like a second skin, making her look like the man-murdering vamp that she is. As she enters the elevator with her girlfriend, they’re holding hands and giggling girlishly.

 

“Oh, hey, Ace!” Nami greets but doesn’t seem pleased to see him. 

 

“Wassup?” he mumbles. Maybe it’s the scare of involuntarily falling asleep twice yesterday or the tense atmosphere between him and Sabo when he came back to the apartment, but he hasn’t slept well again, tossing and turning until well after midnight. The doors close behind the two girls, leaving them with a slightly awkward atmosphere.

 

“We’re both having the day off,” Vivi tells him apologetically. from what Ace gathered, that doesn’t happen often. Nami is a meteorologist for a local TV station and works pretty regular hours, but Vivi is involved with the political career of her father, and, wanting to go into politics herself, she often stays late and puts in extra hours whenever she can. Her father is the ambassador of Alabasta, and since a massive drought has grabbed the country, both of them try to get as much humanitarian aid for their home country as possible. 

 

“You going on a date?” Ace asks sleepily. He knows he should be happy for his friends, but he feels the tiredness muffle his feelings until they are just a faint buzz in the background of his head.

 

“Yeah, we’re having brunch in that new place Sanji always rages about,” Nami grins. “Don’t tell him, though.”

 

Ace would never. He has heard enough about this “impossible Thatch who dares to call himself a chef” on his occasional visits to Sanji and Zoro’s. 

 

“Hope you’re know what you’re getting into!”

 

“Speaking of which, do you know what Sanji’s deal is with that guy?” Nami asks as the elevator doors open again and they exit the building and make their way to the subway station.

 

Ace shrugs. “I just know Sanji thinks he is all about looks and not about quality.” 

 

At that, Nami lets out a harsh laugh. “He’s the one to talk though.” And she’s right. Ace has never met a person who cares about their looks as much as Sanji or does it in such a weird way. Sanji’s the guy who almost always wears a suit. But then, on the rare occasion he doesn’t, he goes for the most embarrassing Aloha-Shirts he can find. It’s a mystery. 

 

“Maybe he’s just jealous? I heard this café gets lots of great reviews, it has been a while since someone gave Sanji a run for his money,” Vivi chimes in.

 

“I never thought he was self-conscious about his abilities,” Ace responds.

 

“But he is competitive as fuck,” Nami considers. “Maybe he just doesn’t want to lose to the guy.”

 

They throw around theories all the way to the subway. Nami debates whether Sanji may be in love with the new cook in town which has them dying of laughter because the chef is as straight as they come. 

 

As they make their way down the station stairs, Vivi says, “Well, maybe once we have eaten there we will know exactly what Sanji’s problem is?”

 

“Yeah, but we have to take the secret to our graves. If he ever finds out we’ve been there he will never cook for us again!” Nami smiles as she reminds her girlfriend of their predicament. She knows he would never stay mad at her for long, women are his greatest weakness.

 

“Do you think the Moby Dick is the reason he cooks so much these days?”

 

Ace considers Vivi’s question. Before the Moby Dick opened half a year ago, meals from Sanji’s were a relatively rare occasion. Sometimes he would bring leftovers from the Baratie, where he works and on weekends he would sometimes ask them over for dinner. But ever since he began talking about “that stupid prick”, he began to furiously cook after hours, freezing massive amounts of his meals for later use, enabling Zoro to steal food for Sabo, Luffy and him quite regularly. On the weekends he baked the most insane cakes, leaving big boxes of Tupperware on Nami’s and Vivi’s door, or he sent cookies down to Robin, the single mom living on the second floor with her son, Chopper. Mostly they were classics with a twist, as far as Ace knows, but the gifts for the girls are exclusive creations, a mix of ingredients Ace usually has never heard of before. 

 

“Maybe he wants to step up his game,” he considers out loud.

 

They arrive at the platform. The next train will arrive soon and there are a lot of people standing around waiting, staring at their phone screens or in the distance. The relative darkness of the underground tunnel makes Ace want to crawl into bed again. His eyes burn as he looks up the bright neon lights up ahead.

 

“But what could he possibly do better?” Vivi’s face is a mixture of confusion and worry. “I’ve seen Sanji cook Chopper’s fish sticks as well as gourmet meals and it was always just perfect! How can he think he still needs to work that hard?” 

 

They take up place at the edge of the platform, to be the first to get on the train. Whoever manages to get in first usually has a slight chance of getting a seat.

 

Ace’s eyes are locked to the rails below him as he listens to the girls chattering on. He watches as a mouse makes its way through the rubble, probably returning whatever food they had found on the tracks to their den. He wishes he could go home to his.

 

“If he trains that much, the new cook must be kind of a genius.” Nami’s voice suddenly sounds far away. He lifts his eyes to find his field of vision is a bit blurry at the edges and he just has time to think  _ Oh god, is it happening again?  _ before the world goes black.

 

__

 

He hears Nami’s shouting first.

 

“Ace! Ace, What the fuck is wrong with you? Wake up!” Then he feels something soft hitting his face and knows she just slapped him. 

 

“Nami, that’s not going to help him right now!” That’s Vivi, sounding worried. He opens his eyes and looks up at his friend’s faces. They look scared, but their features go soft with relief when his gaze meets theirs.

 

“Thank God!” Vivi exclaims. 

 

Ace needs a second to take in his surroundings. They are still on the platform and he can still see the edge he looked at before he fell asleep. Now, he lies a few steps farther away from it. The stone of the platform is hard under his head. Nami and her girlfriend kneel beside them and he can see curious onlookers over their shoulder.

 

So that was the fourth time. He wishes he would have been alone for it.

 

“You almost fell on the tracks!” Nami yells at him. “Do you have a death wish?”

 

Vivi looks at her partner worryingly. “We thought you had passed out”, she says, way softer than the other girl.

 

“Yeah, ‘til we heard you snoring!” Ace knows Nami is just concerned for him but he wishes she would stop shouting. His head hurts and he is still tired. Cold fear coils in his stomach. What if this happens again? This time was obviously pretty close. If he really had fallen down, he could have gotten hit by the incoming train and that would have been it.

 

Again he hears elevator guy in his head, telling him to go to the doctors. Today maybe he will listen to his advice. But he is still broke. He tries to shake the unsettling feeling and fails.

 

“I’m sorry,” he mumbles in Nami’s general direction. “Didn’t mean to do it.”

 

“You better not. Ace, and you better get talking. We’re treating you to brunch.” From the offer to pay for him Ace realizes how very serious Nami is. Great, now he manages to crash his best friends’ first date in months with this.

 

He wishes he could punch something.


	2. 2.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ace finds himself under the critical eye of his friends who won't take no for an answer.

The Moby Dick is a café at day and a bar at night. Even before the grand opening, people spread rumors about the place. Or at least, that’s what Ace gathered from Sanji’s angry ramblings. It is said that Thatch is a son of Whitebeard, one of the most powerful people in the country. The patriarch has an army of adopted sons who all hold respectable positions in society. Every now and then one of them will make the headlines with a new endeavor, like a clothing line launched by his son Izou or now the Moby Dick, which is a legend already  in the city.

 

Whitebeard’s company also funds the scholarship Ace lives off.

 

As he follows Nami and Vivi inside, he immediately notices the nautical feel of the place. The furniture is made of solid wood, the design reminds him of the inside of a pirate ship he sometimes sees in movies. There are simple but stylish carvings at legs of the chairs and tables. The menus are made up like treasure maps and the waiters that move around wear artfully torn clothes. A big jolly roger flaunts the wall opposite to the exit. It has a wide moon shaped addition over its mouth that looks like a beard. The Baratie is far more elegant than this place and Ace briefly wonders why Sanji is so keen of comparing himself outside of price class when Nami pulls him into a booth, sits him down and looks at him angrily.

 

“Spill.”

 

Nami is one of the few people Ace is actually scared of. She is clever and vindictive and always gets what she wants. She is also a pretty good liar, so lying to her is usually unsuccessful - she knows all the tricks. He sighs. And then begins to tell the story. 

 

As he talks he watches Nami’s features change from anger to worry. Vivi sits next to her, a hand on her arm and her eyes firmly glued to Ace. He tells them about the embarrassing elevator encounter (in the back of his mind, he is oddly proud of that name), about the library and Sabo. As he reaches this morning he feels the fear grab hold of him again. 

 

“That could have ended badly,” he says and he himself can hear how flat his voice sounds.

 

“Ace, that sounds horrible,” Vivi exclaims before Nami can get even a word out.

 

“I’m not sure what to do about this,” he admits, hanging his head in defeat. Up until now, he wouldn’t have described himself as easily scared, but his body giving out on him is something that’s never happened before, that he never even thought about. He could always count on it, during all the tournaments, every month they didn’t have enough money left for food, he never even got a bad cold. And now - 

 

“Maybe you could go to a doctor?,” Vivi suggests. “Maybe it’s a neurological thing or something.”

 

But Ace shakes his head. “You know how it is. We would need months to catch up to this. And what if I need meds or something? I could never afford them.” Since Luffy is still in his last year of high school, Ace and Sabo support him with their scholarship money and whatever they can make on the side, but money’s always tight. They have a lot of crafty friends who like to help out, like when Zoro brings them food or Franky and Usopp repair their stuff for them. When Luffy needs tutoring, Chopper and Robin are glad to try. But actually paying a doctor and, most likely, expensive tests to figure out what is wrong… That could tip the fragile balance they had established over time.

 

“You know we would help you,” Nami says. Its unsettling for Ace to see his greedy friend be so generous all of a sudden. It reflects his own perception of the seriousness of the situation. He does know, of course. But he also knows his friends have worked hard for their money and he doesn’t want to take it away from them. He knows about Nami’s need to always have cash at hand for emergencies, a direct outcome of her growing up dirt poor. He listened as Vivi told him that she anonymously donates a huge amount of her income to families in her home country. Robin has Chopper to look out for, Zoro still pays off debts from when he was homeless. And Sanji invests any cent he doesn’t need to live in the Baratie, because it’s his father’s legacy.

 

“Yeah, I know.” Ace sights. “But you know I could never take money from you when I know you all need it as much as I do.”

 

“Ace!” Nami’s fist collides with the table underneath. Her glare sends a shiver down his spine. “I speak for all of us when I say I would rather see you healthy than hold onto my money!”

 

Ace feels a lump forming in his throat. The contrast between the Nami who stole his wallet the day before and the woman now sitting in front of him is so crass, he can’t really believe it. Her worry and care make his heart ache.

 

“Okay.” He takes a deep breath. “Give me some time to figure this out on my own. Maybe it will pass by itself. Maybe it’s just… stress or something.” 

 

He feels Vivi’s skeptical look burn on his skin. “Hey, no need for spending money if it’s nothing, right?” Nami opens her mouth, probably to yell at him again, but her girlfriend places a hand on her arm. 

 

“We can’t make you do anything, Ace,” she says. “We just want you to be happy. And healthy.” 

 

He immediately feels guilty. He knows they only want what’s best for him. But still. There is just no good way out of this. 

 

“Okay, tell you what. Give me two weeks. If it’s still as bad then, I’ll take you up from her offer.” His stomach feels like a bottomless black pit. What is he doing here? Lying to the best liar he knows, smoothing over the waves with no intention of following up, ever.

 

The girls look at each other for a long moment. Sometimes Ace thinks they can speak without using words, like telepathy. There are just one of those couples. Awaiting the verdict, he looks around and catches sight of a tall man in cook whites, walking through the guest room and looking angrily at the door at the back of the café where a sign tells the guest that it’s a private room. 

 

Ace maybe wouldn’t have noticed him, but this guy has the most awesome hair he has ever seen. It’s thick and light brown and made up in a massive pompadour that sits almost regally on his head. If nothing else, Ace thinks for a fleeting second, seeing that has made the trip to this place worth it. Luffy is going to love it when he tells him tonight.

 

Then he shakes his head and turns his thoughts back to the girlfriends on the opposite side of the table who seem to have made up their minds.

 

Their look is serious, but both seem to have calmed down a bit. Vivi speaks first. “We’re fine with it. But we’ll hold you to it, and you have to promise us that you will keep away from possible dangers.”

 

“Like the edges of a subway platform,” Nami helpfully supplies.

 

“And we’re gonna help you figure this out without doctors in the meantime. We’re getting the squad.” That means she’s going to tell all their friends. The squad is the loose group of neighbours in their shtty apartment building. He opens his mouth to refuse, but Nami stops him. 

 

“No backtalk necessary. It’s going to happen!”

 

Ace’s shoulders slump in defeat. Nami always gets what she wants, after all.

 

__

  
  


Ace can’t sleep. He sits in the living room and stares at the ceiling above the couch. Sabo hasn’t made it back from his latest meeting yet and Luffy is already asleep. The apartment is unusually quiet. Sometimes he sees headlights from the streets, their glow wandering over the walls only to vanish just seconds later as if nothing ever happened. 

 

His mind is running a mile a minute, thoughts spinning through his brain, too fast and confusing to catch them. 

 

Nami and Vivi have given him two weeks, but what if he doesn’t find a solution until then? The uneasy feeling in his gut hasn’t passed, it’s stayed with him the whole day until now. He wants to get up and do something, anything, to fight against the helplessness that settles over him and makes it hard to breathe.

 

Even Luffy noticed it, but when his little brother asked about it after dinner, Ace found he couldn’t tell him anything, didn’t want him to worry. So he just grinned his best grin and told Luffy he just hated studying. He’d said the same to Sabo yesterday and he hates every second of lying to them, but he doesn’t want them to worry. 

 

In the back of his mind, he doesn’t want to be weak. It’s not that his brothers can’t handle it - they’ve been through a lot together - but _ he _ can’t. Since he was a little kid, he wanted to be strong, because he wanted to be free - free from the grown ups, the loveless foster families. He wanted to be stronger to keep up with Sabo and make their dream of a life of their own come true, one where they belonged to no one but themselves. And he made it. He learned, adapted and carried on.

 

What if all this was useless? How can he fight, how can he train, when he falls asleep on the spot? What about his classes? His friends. And Luffy, who still struggles through high school?

 

Ace turns around on the couch and looks at the cushions. He closes his eyes and tries to think of good things. Sunday mornings with Luffy and Sabo in front of the TV. The evenings at Sanji’s, sitting around a table, watching Zoro slowly getting drunk, Chopper and Luffy sticking chopsticks up their noses. Nami talking silently to Robin, while Vivi giggles about a stupid story Franky tells her.

 

They are his friends, he thinks, his family. Since they found themselves in this shitty apartment complex, they were not alone anymore. Before, it was Luffy, Sabo and him against the world, but now they have other people. Luffy has Zoro, Ace got Nami and Vivi and Sabo is content with the Antifa-Group. They are still together, but not lonely. And they don’t need to fight as much. The world got a little easier.

 

This might change everything. 

 

Giving up on sleep, Ace gets up and pulls on his shoes. Maybe a walk will tire him out some more. 

 

The neighborhood is quiet at this time of night. There is a small bar at the corner of the street and a few drunks bawl stupid songs, but the shops are closed and he is alone on the sidewalk. He takes big, deep breaths and fills his lungs with the soft air of early summer. Only a few of the windows are still illuminated, most are dark. All that Ace can hear is the faint swoosh of traffic in the distance and the quiet rustling of leaves in the trees.

 

He walks aimlessly, passes by the supermarket, the subway station and the few little restaurants. Above him, the moon shines in the distance, slender and bright. He doesn’t know how longs he’s walking for, but after a while he automatically circles back to the apartment building. It sits as he left it, big and black against the night.

 

He decides to stay outside for a few more minutes, slides down the wall of the building and leans his head against the cool concrete. If he doesn’t sleep tonight, does that mean that he will fall asleep more often tomorrow?

 

Ace is lost in his thoughts and doesn’t hear the footsteps approaching him. Only when he feels the discomfort of another person entering his private space he notices someone has come up to him. It’s a huge black man with an impressive afro. He wears a tophat and carries a cane with him. When he sees Ace look up to him he laughs a high and weirdly vocal laugh. 

 

“You weren’t here when I left just now!” he remarks. “Are you quite alright?”

 

For a moment Ace is confused. He was sure he was alone on the street when he sat down. Is this guy one of his neighbours? Or just someone who passed by by chance?

 

“Yeah, I live here,” Ace reassures the other man. “I just didn’t want to go in yet.”

 

“Ah, I see. Insomnia, torturer of innocent souls. I know the feeling all too well.” The strange man makes no attempt to leave, instead tilts his head a bit, as if he is considering something. “Seeing as I suffer from the same condition as yourself, maybe I can offer a piece of advice, if you would appreciate it.” 

 

Ace almost laughs. Insomnia is definitely not his problem, even if right now he doesn’t sleep as he should. But he involuntarily napped twice today, once with Nami and Vivi at the subway station and then later, when he returned home and went through his workout routine. At least he’d fallen on the soft mat he used as padding this time. He is in his half mind to get annoyed at the intrusion of the other man but figures he doesn’t really have anything to lose.

 

“What kind of advice?” he wants to know.

 

His –maybe?- neighbor does the laugh again. “Well, music of course! It consoles the tired mind and soothes sore bodies! And lucky for you I know exactly what kind would help you right now!”

 

What a weird guy. He seems kind of friendly, but most of all eccentric. 

 

“And what would that be?” Ace can’t keep the wariness out of his voice.

 

“You would need to follow me inside for that. But it isn’t even out of your way since you already live here!” He laughs again - he seems to do that a lot. 

 

Shrugging to himself, Ace gets up. What has he got to lose, except his boredom and restlessness? But before he is up all the way, the other man lets out a startled cry. At first Ace thinks something is seriously wrong, until he sees the others face and he begins to speak again. 

 

“Forgive my manners! Here I am trying to convince you to follow me into my apartment and you know nothing about me! Let me introduce myself!” He makes a step back and, most curiously, bows. “ My name is Brook and I live on the third floor. Pleased to make your acquaintance, my cherished neighbor.” The entire display is so ridiculous, Ace begins to giggle.

 

“Nice to meet you, man”, he presses out between heaps of laughter. “I’m Ace. Fifth floor.”

 

“I assure you, the pleasure is mine,” Brook responds, and together they make their way through the front door. 

 

“You see, my offer is not entirely unselfish,” he continues. “I’m a musician, but I seem to have gotten into an unfortunate uncreative spell. I thought perhaps a new set of ears would change my perspective on the song I’m writing momentarily.”

 

As strange as he is, Ace is sure he likes this guy. His old fashioned language takes some getting used to, but he seems genuine. “I don’t know if I can’t help with that, I know jack shit about music.” Brook only laughs again. 

 

“It doesn’t matter if one knows a lot about the theory,” he answers. “It’s about the feeling. And right now we want to calm you down. So if I can achieve that, I will have reached my goal.”

 

Listening? Ace can do that. Though he doesn’t know if anything will get him to sleep today. His limbs are starting to feel heavy, but his mind still is wide awake.

 

They arrive and Brook leads Ace down the hallway to his apartment. It’s a small two bedroom, squished in between some of the bigger, more family friendly ones. Brook guides him in and gestures to make himself at home, then vanishes into the second bedroom. Ace takes place on a huge large leather couch, directly next to a big aquarium in which a lonely but big fish swims lap after lap around a big bush of algae.

 

“This is Laboon,” Brook elaborates as he returns. “He is a rare type of fish and we have known each other for a long time. You could say he is my oldest friend.” He laughs again. “We’ve been together for almost fifty years now.” 

 

In the dark of the street Ace hadn’t noticed, but Brook really is quite old. Ace would put him around his mid-sixties. Brook circles the sofa and comes to stand in front of Ace. In the light of the aquarium, Ace can see he holds a violin and a bow. 

 

“Now,” he says, “make yourself really comfortable and hopefully, we can put you to sleep before you even know it!”

 

Then he lifts the violin and begins to play.

 

Ace likes music as much as the next person. He likes listening to it while working out, likes upbeat tunes that give him energy boosts during the day. But it’s all casual. He usually doesn’t have an opinion on it, except it is putting him down or Luffy is in one of his moods and turns up the volume until Ace can’t hear himself think anymore.

 

But the song that Brook plays now is slow and so sweet it’s almost sad. 

 

It’s not catchy or fancy, just the sound of one violin against the quiet of the flat. He watches his neighbor play, back stretched but slightly leaning to the left, watches his fingers dance over the strings and feels something in him settle. There is something about this setting, the dim room and the lack of visual stimulation that make Aces lids grow heavy. He lets his head sink back against the backrest and watches Laboon swim from the corner of his eyes, round and round in the aquarium. He feels like this is a bubble and relaxes for the first time since he fell asleep in that damned elevator three days ago.

 

__

Someone’s ringing the doorbell. Still groggy, he presses his hands over his ears, desperate to ignore the sound until it goes away or either Sabo or Luffy get the door. It doesn’t, and with every second it gets even more annoying. He has half made up his mind to get up and do it himself as he hears unfamiliar steps on the floor. 

 

Then a voice calls out. “Yohohooo, I’ll be right with ya!” and the ringing stops.

 

Aces eyes suddenly open. Who said that? He sits up and it takes a few seconds for him to make sense of the black leather couch, the armchair opposite to him and the violin on the table. Then the last night slowly comes back to him. He sits up and looks around. Brook hurries through the living room, dressed in a burgundy dressing gown that wafts in his wake. 

 

“Sorry, sorry,” he hears him call. Then, the sound of the door being opened. “My sincerest apologies, I had a rather late night yesterday.”

 

“Forgot about our date, yoi?”

 

Ace cringes. He knows that appendix. It’s pineapple guys voice. He curses. Ace spent three years in this building and hasn’t seen any trace of the man, and now he suddenly is everywhere, and always when Ace is just waking up. Furiously, he combs his fingers through his hair in hope to look a bit more presentable than he undoubtedly does. He thinks about just bailing, making up some excuse about sleeping in, but at least he has to thank Brook for helping him out last night. He also has no idea how late it actually is. Sighting, he gets up in time to watch pineapple guy enter the living room.

 

And fuck, does he look hot.

 

His feet are bare, because, like Ace, he probably left his shoes at the door. His trousers are a dark green-blue and hug his muscular legs just a little bit too tightly. He wears a turquoise shirt that reminds ace of Vivi’s hair and a purple jacket. The colour scheme should look ridiculous, but it suits him somehow. His shoulders are wide compared to the rest of his body and his narrow hips make Ace swallow thickly. He didn’t notice it the first two times he that the man, but he really is breathtakingly attractive.

 

“Oh, it’s you,” pineapple guy says upon seeing Ace.

 

“You know each other already?” Brook asks, when he follows his neighbor back in. “How wonderful. Would you like some tea?”

 

“We’ve seen each other in passing,” pineapple guy answers. When Ace ran into him yesterday, he was brusque as well, but Ace put it down to him being in a rush and - well, who liked to be run into? Ace asks himself if the short sentences and the disinterested tone of voice are his M.O. or if something about Ace makes him react this way.

 

“Then let me introduce you formally!” Brook chimes. “Marco, this is Ace, I found a spontaneous audience in him yesterday night. Ace, this is Marco, my most reliable fan.” Something like a smile steals itself on Marco’s face and it looks really really cute, contrasting the harsh way Marco spoke earlier. Nevertheless, Ace reminds himself of his manners and holds out his hand. 

 

“Nice to get to know you finally.” Marco shakes it shortly but firmly and the feeling lingers on Ace skin for a bit. Marco’s skin is chapped and scrapes over his own as the other pulls his hand away. 

 

“Nice to meet you, too.”

 

Before an uncomfortable silence can settle over the small group, Brook sets himself into motion once again. “Come on, boys, join me in the kitchen. No day should begin without an elevating cup of tea!”

 

“It’s not exactly morning anymore, Brook,” Marco remarks drily. Aces head shoots up. How late is it? He told Sabo they would train in the morning, but he has no idea when he fell asleep yesterday and how long he slept.

 

“What time is it?” he asks and can hear the slight panic in his voice. What is his life? There is a perfectly hot guy standing right next to him and he has an invitation for tea to ogle at him properly, but of course he forgot the meeting he set up with his brother.

 

“It’s almost eleven,” Marco helpfully supplies.

 

Shit.

 

He was supposed to meet Sabo an hour ago. He hopes his brother kept up his habit of always showing up late, otherwise he will be in big trouble.

 

“Thanks for the offer, Brook, but I have to go!” Ace calls over his shoulder, mourning his poor time managing skills and that he has to stop looking at Marco’s perfect chest. “Thank you for last night, too!” Then he is on his way through the hallway, slipping into his shoes. 

 

“Anytime, Ace. Come by again, I always work nights!” He laughs again and the extended “Yooohohooo” is the last thing Ace hears before the door slams shut behind him.

 

__

Sabo is sitting on the couch, glaring at him disapprovingly when Ace enters.

 

“Where the hell were you?” he snaps. “I tried calling you at least a dozen times!”

 

Ace feels his shoulders drop. He is a little out of  breath because he sprinted the way up to the flat, not wanting to be more late than necessary. “Forgot my phone. Sorry,” he rasps.

 

“What is wrong with you?” Sabo asks, his voice somewhere between anger, worry and exasperation.

 

Ace settles down next to Sabo on the couch. The cushions are still as disorderly as he left them yesterday evening and for sure, between two of them is his phone. Sabo has made himself some coffee and looks at him with crossed arms. 

 

“You’ve been really weird these past few days.”

 

In hindsight, Ace will find this incredibly funny. But as soon as he opens his mouth to answer Sabo, he falls asleep.

 

It cannot have been long, but as he opens his eyes, Sabo’s face is directly above his.

 

“Ace! That’s the second time now!”

 

Shaking his head, Ace tries to orient himself. He just got up. He can’t possibly have fallen asleep right after waking up. He feels Sabo lay a hand on his shoulder as his brother looks at him with a serious gaze. And the resistance in Ace just… breaks. Maybe it’s the confusion, maybe it’s that Sabo was Ace’s first friend in this whole earth. 

 

But his back slacks, releasing tension he didn’t know it held. He leans into Sabo’s touch. It’s his brother. All the reasons that wouldn’t let him sleep this night seem void all of a sudden. He meets Sabo’s eyes. Once upon a time, they were ready to take on the world together. Just the two of them. Before they met Luffy, before Dadan, they were just two kids with assholes as parents who screwed other people for money to make it out of the city one day. And if they survived that, then nothing can stop them. Not even Ace’s fucked up brain.

 

So Ace talks and Sabo never takes his hand away and for the first time since this all started Ace thinks that maybe, maybe he can get through this like through everything else.


	3. 3.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Sabo is worried, Sanji is violent and Ace will never manage to make a good impression on Marco.

When they eventually make their way to the gym, there is a note on the front door again. 

 

“ _ Dear neighbors, _ ” it says, exactly like last time. “ _ This is a reminder that loud noises are to be avoided between 22.00 and 08.00. Musical instruments are especially affected by this legally binding rule. _ ”

 

Ace feels immediately guilty. He should have known that the sound would travel. Seems like someone else paid for his sleep with theirs. 

 

“Sometimes I think we have some really boring neighbors,” Sabo comments as they leave. “I heard it too, but it was absolutely beautiful.”

 

Ace is too embarrassed to respond to that. Instead of answering, he opts for just walking on ahead. This is the second note on the door because of him and while part of him thinks they must have some new, more sensitive neighbours in the building, he feels bad because he never wanted to actively cause someone discomfort. He would probably be pissed too, if the roles were reversed.

They make their way to the gym in companionable silence. Ace feels in high spirits despite of note on the door and is looking forward to the workout. Ever since he met Sabo, his brother has been his most challenging opponent, always evolving alongside him. Luffy's fighting style is kind of forward and chaotic, much as his little brother himself, and very emotional. But Sabo is more calculating, more strategic, and if Ace wants to win he has to think on his feet and give his best, always.

He loves it. And the feeling when they are lying on the mats together, worn out and breath slowly returning to normal, too tired to speak but still glowing from the fight, are some of the most intimate moments he has ever known.

Today is no different. But this time, as they lay on their backs, eyes tuned up at the ugly concrete ceiling above the ring, Sabo says, "Please, go to the hospital."

 

It's a break in their ritual and Ace feels the disruption deep in his bones. It's different when Luffy is with them, because you never know what happens when Luffy is near, but Sabo and Ace are about understanding each other without words, about enjoying the moment and choosing when to talk and when to rather stay silent. It's just how it has always been.

"You know I can't."

"We will make it work somehow," Sabo responds. "Ace, we need you here. And we want you to be healthy." But the dilemma is still the same and Sabo knows it as much as Ace does. 

 

"How? Even if Nami and the others pitch in, we're talking about thousands of dollars here. Even getting the bloodwork done costs more than we usually pay for groceries!"

"Then we'll go into debt. Or we'll join the fights again. Or we do what we did as kids. Can't be much different now!"

 

It warms Ace's heart to hear his brother speak with such confidence and devotion. Sometimes he doesn't know how he deserves to know them. But he doesn't want them to do that. It took them so long to get out of the half-illegality they lived in for most of their lives. Coming clean was one of the most difficult things they ever did, and diving back into the depths of the underworld of the city means it would be  uncertain if they would ever get out again. This is not the future he envisioned for Luffy when he got him out of foster care. He wanted him to have perspectives, dreams. Whatever he made of them, he wanted him to have the opportunity to choose.

"If we ever get tangled up with Shanks again..." he begins. 

 

But Sabo cuts him off. "Don’t you think I know the risk? But if I can be half in jail while fucking protesting illegal deportation, then I can damn well support my own brother!" He has that voice again. The intonation he gets only when faced with injustice. Normally he is almost careless, sometimes bold in his attitude, but there is a cold rage reserved for people putting others down. 

 

"I'll go over Shanks a hundred times if it means you*re getting rid of this!" But it won’t be that easy. Shanks is insanely strong, insanely well connected, and most of all, the guy Luffy looks up to the most.

 

Ace doesn't want that. he doesn’t want any of his friends or family to endanger themselves, financially, emotionally, or in Sabo’s case, physically, just because he has an inconvenient problem. It scares him, and it’s all happening pretty quickly, but he can't stand the thought of any of them giving something up for him. It’s just not worth it. ' _ Maybe you're not worth it, _ ' a voice inside his head whispers, but he shakes his head, hoping the gesture will make it go away.

"I'll think about it," he lies instead. "And like I told you, Nami and Vivi are already in, they will find a way to drag me to a doctor if need be." And he hopes something else happens before. He hopes the issue will resolve himself. He will find a way to make it so.

 

Sabo shuffles next to him.

 

"Promise me," Sabo demands. "I can't stand the thought of something happening to you just because we have no money. You're stronger than this. With the right help you'll be back on track in no time."

 

Ace nods. Sabo is looking at him, waiting for his response, for anything, but he can't bring himself to meet his eyes.

___

 

Their apartment building is an eight story house in one of the poorer parts of town. A lot of people live here, and even more go in and out on a daily basis. Friends, family members, mechanics and some homeless people all pass through these doors for various reasons. But of course, when they get back, it's Marco they meet at the front door. He and another guy with a fancy brown pompadour stand before the note on the glass door and seem to argue about something.

"Still no reason to be so pissed," Marco says as Sabo and Ace walk into hearing distance. "It's just Brook, his music's great."

 

"Yeah, but imagine if it was you coming home from a fourteen hour shift. I know you like Brook, but you would consider strangling him, too."

 

"Shut up, Thatch, I hate it when you're right."

 

The brown haired man throws his head back and laughs a hearty and loud laugh that Ace immediately likes. As they get closer to their neighbors, Marco looks away from the note and meets his eyes. "Ace," he greets. "You left in a hurry this morning."

Next to him, Ace can feel Sabo go still and his unbelieving stare burns holes into his side. "Well, as nice it was of Brook to have me over, I overslept," he says, hoping that Sabo would understand the subtle hint that Ace did not, in fact, spent the night with Marco. Not that he would mind, really. If Sabo takes Marco to be Brook, Ace will never hear the end of it.

 

"You two know each other?" Sabo asks suspiciously from his left.

 

"Sabo, this is Marco, one of our neighbours from the fourth floor. I met him this morning when I woke up at Brooks place." When Ace and Sabo talked earlier, Ace begrudgingly told Sabo about his little overnight stunt at Brook’s but withheld the notes of the older man practically singing him to sleep.

"Nice to meet you," Marco supplies. "This is Thatch, my brother." The brown haired man turns around. He probably wouldn't have noticed it, if the other man wasn't as extravagant, but as he looks at him now, he clearly sees the cook from yesterday, the chef he noticed yesterday, when he was with Nami and Vivi.

 

"Hey, you’re the guy from the Moby Dick!" The words slip from his mouth before he can catch them. 

 

Thatch just raises an eyebrow. "Yeah, that's me, in all my glory." The words sound slightly sarcastic. 

 

A bit embarrassed, Ace tries to apologize. "Sorry, you probably get that one often."

 

At this, the other man smiles. "You have no idea." 

 

So this is the guy Sanji's so obsessed about. But if he was here and if he was with Marco, did that mean… "Do you live here, too?" 

 

Why can't he think before he speaks? As soon as he said it there are a million other explanations for Thatch’s presence. 

 

"I do actually. Me and my other brother live with Marco."

 

Between his raging thoughts, it takes Ace a few seconds to catch up to Thatches answer.

Holy shit. Holy shit. This would mean that Sanji and Thatch work in the same street and live in the same house. What a fucking unlucky coincidence. That doesn't explain why someone with so much money would live in a dump like this, though.

 

But Ace keeps the question to himself this time. There are a few seconds of awkward silence, where no one knows what to say and just prepares for leaving. Ace steals one last glance at Marco because while he seems to embarrass himself at any given opportunity when the other man is near, looking can't hurt, right? And notices Sabo turns to leave next to him and that is of course when Sanji comes out of the elevator.

Because that's just how Aces life works right now. He watches Sanji walk through the hallway and see him, a small smile on his face. 

 

The next few seconds seem to stretch to an eternity. 

 

Sanji raises his hand to wave at him and Sabo, then registers the other two people and his eyes widen in disbelief, only to narrow again into an angry stare.

Well, fuck.

Sanji comes out of the door in long, measured strikes, an apparition of competitiveness and the pissed off look on his face promises nothing good will come out of this.

"Hey, Sanji!" Sabo greets him innocently. He has not caught on yet.

The cook spares not even a slight glance at him. His eyes are fixed on Thatch. "You!" he snarls. "What are you doing here?" 

Thatch's expression matches Sanji's every part of the way. "I live here", he growls, his relaxed and kind of flamboyant attitude from a few minutes ago completely gone.

"Are you fucking everywhere?" Sanji spits.

"Is this the guy from the Baratie you keep on rambling about?" Ace can only hear Marco's words because his eyes are still glues to his friend. He's seen Sanji in rivalry mode enough times with Zoro to know there is almost nothing to get him out of this state. Except sudden danger or a beautiful women. Both are unfortunately absent right now.

"Yeah, the arrogant little shit who keeps saying his food is the best in the city." Thatch presses his words through gritted teeth, which makes it sound like every acknowledgement of Sanji is a hard and tiresome labour.

"Because it is. You are technically superior, but you know nothing about preparing a meal with care to nourish your loved ones!" Sanji is totally out of control now. He glances at Thatch and sees the other one is just seconds away from punching the other chef. The only thing holding him back seems to be Marco’s hand on his arm.

"Let’s not get into this right now, Thatch,” he hears Marco mumble. "We have to be at pops' place soon."

Thatch lets out a laboured breath. "Yeah, you're right. This sous chef," he emphasizes the  _ sous _ almost aggressively, "has nothing new to add to his argument… or his menu." He turns around and takes a step back from the group.

Sanji looks like he's going to explode.

"Don’t do it, Sanji,” he hears Sabo whisper. So his brother is also afraid of their friend randomly starting to kick Thatch. He doesn't know how Sanji handles conflicts in his work time but at least when they are together he tends to solve all his problems through violence.

Ace watches Sanji go still at Sabo's words, but he is not calmer in the slightest. Ace can almost see smoke rising up from his eyes as he stares at Thatch’s back.

"You got nothing on me!" he yells. "Come and fight me like a man!" Leave it to Sanji to make everything about gender. 

 

"What is your problem?" Sabo hisses. "Just let him go and figure it out at work!"

Thatch turns around and measures Sanji with his look. Marco and Sabo both seem equally determined to hold the chefs back and Ace knows this is going to end in violence if someone’s not going to do something. This conflict is apparently months in the making and only heavens know how they managed to let each other work in peace in the meantime. Or set each other's restaurants on fire.

"You got nothing on me. Come back, when you're a real chef," Thatch hisses. Sanji surges forward, only to be barely held back by Sabo, who wraps his arms around his torso and squeezes as tight as humanly possible. 

 

"Don't do this, Sanji, this is going to end badly,” he murmurs, as if Sanji is a animal ready to attack his prey and his words might calm him down. And maybe, in a way, their friend is. He never could control his aggression.

Ace feels the desperate need to solve this situation somehow. He doesn't know how, though. If only there was a way to settle this without any more personal injuries - an idea suddenly dawns on him.

"Hey, why don’t you guys cook it out?" Shit, he's done it again. He really has to learn to think before he speaks, because he has no idea how to follow up on that statement.

Luckily, he doesn't have to, because Sabo is there, and he's the clever one of them and has his back.

"Yeah, like a contest or something. This is about cooking, right? So leave it in the kitchen!"

For a moment, everything is still.

Then Ace sees Marco slowly nods. "You know, that’s actually a good idea. Maybe then you'll settle this stupid fight once and for all."

Thatchs flares up at his brothers words. "It's not stupid. You know damn well how good I am and now this- this rookie comes and think he knows it all?"

"Well, you'll see about that when you actually see him cook!" Marco’s voice has a sudden edge to it. Not that he didn't seem kind of moody all along and every other time Ace has seen him until now, but now there is something deeper in his voice. Like his words are final and he will allow no backtalk.

It makes a shiver run down Ace's spine.

"Just...make it a contest," he rambles. "Invite some people over and let them decide. You will have a neutral jury and after the verdict everyone just goes on doing their jobs." Way to go, Ace, you learned nothing, he thinks to himself even while he talks.

"It’s not just a job!" Sanji growls next to him. Ace has heard his opinion on the subject so many times, he knows what's coming now by heart. 

 

"Yeah, we know. But still. If you beat each other up out here, there's gonna be a problem." But he didn't say that. It was Marco. Ace sends him a surprised glance and Marco meets his eyes. He looks kind of exasperated, as this was a conversation he had over and over. Ace can relate.

"Fuck, you're right.” Sanji breaks away from Sabo and straightens his suit, that was slightly crumpled in the commotion. "We'll set this up properly."

 

Thatch is quiet for a few seconds. Then he slowly nods his head. "If it's necessary." 

 

Before Sanji can respond, Marco cuts in again. "Yes it is. I don’t want to hear another word about it." He takes a deep breath. "I'll set up a date with these guys over there," he moves his head in Ace's and Sabo’s direction, "and then we'll let you know. You are forbidden" and there it is again, the dark undertone in Marco’s voice that makes Ace now as weak as the first time he heard it, " to fight until then. With cooking, with fists, I don’t care."

 

He grips Thatch’s arm tightly. "Please excuse us." His voice returns to the the same half-bored, half-snarling tone it had before. Then he drags his brother away in the general direction of the subway station.


	4. 4.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chopper intervenes with as much medical authority as he can muster.

"What the fuck was that?" Sabo asks Sanji as soon as Thatch and Marco disappear from sight. Sanji shoves his fists into his pockets and looks to the floor, his face a mix of anger and defiance. 

 

"What an arrogant fucker," he says through his teeth. 

 

"He seemed pretty normal to me," Sabo responds irritated. "Your stupid pride will get you into serious trouble some day!" Ace knows this lecture by heart. Sabo’s given it to him countless times. He sympathizes. Being on Sabo's bad side is scary as hell.

"What is he thinking, opening a restaurant right across the street from the Baratie? He is asking for trouble!"

 

Sabo massages his temples, looking as if he is seconds away from just punching Sanji. And while Ace would be totally up to see Sanji getting his ass handed to him by his brother, he really doesn't want his friends get into trouble right now. Maybe he can invite Sanji along to a sparring session sometime.

 

"Weren't you going somewhere?" he asks the chef. Sanji’s features are torn from rage as he reaches into his jacket and pulls out a crumpled pack of cigarettes, lights one and takes a long drag.

 

"I was just getting groceries. It's the end of the month again."

It's tradition. When they’d known each other for two or three months, Sanji met Chopper and Robin in the elevator. He had immediately tried to get into Robin’s pants. Not really noticing she was not interested in him, he’d tried to make friends with Chopper to win her over. But during on the conversations he’d found out that Robin's job  didn’t pay enough for them to get through the month and that Chopper was heartbroken about his mom not having anything to eat, instead investing all of her resources into Chopper’s wellbeing.

Despite his irrational and sometimes outright irritating behaviour towards women, Sanji has his moments of brilliance. So when he found out Robin was not eating, he invited her over to dinner, for once only to feed her. When Robin declined because she didn't want to give him false hopes, he invited Nami, Vivi and Ace to join them and made it a party. He cooked an insane amount of food, more than they could eat in one evening, and made Robin take all of the leftovers when the evening was over. Since then, he has done it every month, and it has become a party to which all of them show up. It's a lot of fun, to get everyone together in one room and just spend the evening together, eating and drinking.

Also Robin's pantry is never empty anymore.

"Look, its practise!" Ace jokes but a furious glance from Sanji makes him shut up immediately. Maybe it's better to not bite the hand that feeds you. And thinking about it, Ace gets another idea. "Hey, I met someone I want to bring along next time. Is that alright with you?"

 

"As long as he doesn't have your appetite!" the cook grumbles. Ace knows deep down he loves the company, the bigger, the better. 

 

"Is it a boy?" Sabo's expression is skeptical as he asks. After their conversation in the gym. he probably supposes there are other things Ace didn't tell him. Still, the thought of asking Brook out on a date makes Ace laugh.

 

"No, he’s one of a neighbours. A musician. You know how Luffy would love that."

Sabo slowly nods. "He'd be ecstatic." Ever since they’d settled into the apartment building, Luffy complains about not knowing a musicians, claiming parties without music aren't as fun. When the others remind him that there is always music, it’s just not live, he says it doesn’t count. His brother would love Brook, Ace is sure.

 

"I'll invite him, then."

Sanji seems calmer now. The cigarette and the distraction must have helped him to get a grip on himself. "Shit, that guy drives me crazy," he mumbles as he stubs out the cigarette butt on the wall. 

 

"At least now you have an opportunity to settle this once and for all," Sabo tells him. "We'll make it a good one."

 

Sanji straightens himself and then his jacket. A small grin plays at his lips as he looks at them. 

 

"I'll destroy him," he announces, almost happily.

 

What have they gotten themselves into this time?

When Ace and Sabo return to their flat, Luffy is there, playing a video game with Chopper. Robin sits next to them on the couch, quietly reading as if the boys weren’t shouting at the top of their lungs towards the screen, where two heavily armoured knights fight against each other. They don't turn their eyes away from the TV when the others enter, but Robin looks up for a second and gives them a small smile.

Hungry and a bit tired from their encounter with Thatch and Sanji, they sit down in the kitchen, picking out ready-made meals from the freezer.Sabo puts out microwave dishes and begins to staple the frozen packages on them. "This thing with Sanji is going to kick us in the ass big time."

 

Ace nods as Sabo continues. "First we need to get hold of the brother. Maybe with his help this won't be a total disaster."

The words find their way through Ace's brain only slowly. That's right, Maco said he would set up a date with them. That means they will meet again and probably soon, seeing as the Thatch-Sanji situation seems urgent. The established mixture of excitement and embarrassment settles in his gut. He is sure that Marco finds him at least a bit weird, considering the circumstances under which they’ve met until now, and he doesn't seem to be particularly fond of him, but he is the most interesting and an attractive guy Ace has seen in a while and holy shit, that voice.

Before he can lose himself in his thoughts, he gets interrupted by Robin entering the kitchen.

She settles next to Ace on the kitchen table, leaning back. 

 

"So how are the preparations going along?" she asks Sabo, who watches the microwave intently as if it will make the food heat up faster. He immediately begins listing off a to-do list of suspicious sounding stuff, like getting a big pack of black hoodies and scarves. Robin listens attentively, asking questions in all the right places. Ace doesn’t really know why, but Robin is always interested in Sabo’s political activity. Maybe she too has had a rebellious youth or her own poverty has made her politically interested. He feels the adrenaline leave his system and the post-workout heaviness settle in. The buzz of Robin and Sabo’s conversation lulls him in and their meals spin round and round in the microwave. Ace lays his head on the table.

“Is everything alright?” Robin interrupts the discussion with Sabo to look at him. Her dark eyes are narrowed slightly, betraying just the slightest bit of worry.

 

At her words, Sabo catches Ace|s eyes. He seems worried as well and it makes Ace's skin crawl. He hates that they feel that way because of him; he always wanted to be strong and help the people he loved, but here he is, the center of attention because he just can't keep it together.

So he nods his head quickly. "Yeah, the training just tired me out a bit." He laughs it off. "Seems that with the exams coming up I'm going a bit soft." Robin glances at Sabo, but he just frowns and turns around again, fidgeting with the clutter in the kitchen. Robin doesn't seem convinced at all. 

 

"I think I speak for all of us when I say we just want to help you," she says. Her voice has that tone. Ace thinks it must be mom thing because she sounds like she has seen it all and knows everything about it. Robin is probably the wisest of all of them and sometimes he wonders why she bothers to put with them in the first place. Maybe because Chopper likes Luffy so much.

Under her inquiring stare he feels his ears go hot. He feels bad for not telling the truth. The situation overwhelms him, and he doesn't really know how to react. He doesn't want Robin to think too much about him. She has enough to worry about, being a single mother. But he also doesn't want to go out of his way to lie to his friends, because that’s what a shitty person would do. And Ace has sworn himself that he would become one of the good guys. Deciding to settle somewhere in the middle, he shrugs. 

 

"I've been a bit sick lately, but it's not that bad. I’m sure I'll be better once my exams are over."

A dull clunk sounds through the room. Sabo has dropped the box he was fidgeting with during Robin's and Ace's conversation. But instead of picking it up, his eyes burn into Ace's. 

 

"Stop lying," he hisses. His shoulders are tense and his lips tremble from anger. "You just told me three hours ago you almost fell in front of a fucking subway. You are not just a little under the weather."

Briefly Ace thinks that Sabo has held this in when they spoke at the gym and that his rage must have boiled inside of him during the whole drama with Sanji and Thatch. The guilt he felt before settles over his shoulders like heavy weight, dragging him down and pulling at his heart. 

 

"I told you," he says. "I'm going to figure it out. It’s really not that bad, I'll just be more careful in the meantime."

"That actually sound really dangerous," Robin says next to him. "I don't have all the details but it sounds like something you should get checked out."

"He falls asleep randomly," Sabo unhelpfully supplies from behind them. "It's some kind of narcolepsy thing." At their looks, he crosses his arms defiantly. "What, I googled it on the way here. Do you think I'll just sit by and let your stubborn ass do what it wants?"

"Well, narcolepsy can be quite inconvenient-" Robin begins but is interrupted by her son who comes running into the kitchen. 

 

"Narcolepsy? Who has Narcolepsy? That's a really serious illness, people have accidents with it all the time and there's no real treatment for it-" Then he catches himself as he notices the tension in the room. "Sorry," he mumbles. "I got carried away."

As Chopper talks the now familiar dread settles in Ace's stomach again. He didn't google his symptoms on purpose, thinking that if he didn't pay it that much attention, then maybe it would all go away. Apparently, that wasn't the best approach after all.

 

"Can you say that again,” he asks Chopper, who went to the sink to get a big glass of water.

"Narcolepsy is a chronic disease. The neural pathways are kind of confused and the people who have it can't control their sleeping behavior. Doctors haven't figured out how exactly it works yet, so there is no cure, just therapies to treat a few of the symptoms."

Ace hates himself for being afraid. No one’s ever said that he has the disease the others are talking about, he has no facts, just a sinking suspicion that this could be something he won't get rid of so easily.

 

"That sounds dangerous," Robin says. "Just imagine what would happen if you fell asleep while crossing the street or taking a bath." Ace knows she is still worried, but her features betray a kind of morbid curiosity. 

 

"Also you can hit your head when falling!" Chopper chimes in.

 

Ace doesn’t know he makes a sound until he hears the strangled moan coming from his lips. 

 

"But narcolepsy is really rare so it’s not likely that anyone that we know has it." Despite Chopper’s words his head hits the table again. He doesn't want this. Why has this happen to him of all people. What if it is narcolepsy and it will never stop and it is incurable? All of a sudden he feels sick.

 

There’s bile rising in his throat and he gets up quickly, not sparing a glance to the others as he makes his way to the bathroom quickly. He drops down to the toilet just in time, wretches, but doesn't manage to throw anything up. He feels disgusting and tired. And so so scared.

Ace can't remember the last time he felt fear. Maybe when their neighborhood was on fire when they were ten and shortly after, when Sabo got beaten up so badly they didn't know if he would survive his injuries. But since then, all he ever did was look forward, knowing that this world held little for them and he had to wring every crumb from its cold and cruel grasp. He got used to life being hard.

And it still feels like the floor has given out under him, as if he's falling. He always trusted himself at least, and now its gone.

 

He hears Sabo's voice outside. "Ace? Are you alright?" But he is choking on his own spit, and he can’t answer. Tears form in his eyes as he tries to get some air and he doesn't know if it's a reflex or if he is actually crying. Managing a gasping breath, he drops down, trying to calm himself.

"I'll be okay!" he yells through the door, knowing Sabo will still be there waiting.

 

It’s quiet for a few seconds. "We're gonna get through this!" Sabo says then. "I know it's scary right now, but well get you checked out and then we'll figure out the rest."

Then, Choppers voice sounds through the thin door. "Oh my God, is Ace sick? Do you think you have narcolepsy? Ace, I'm so sorry, I didn't want to scare you!" Ace hears Sabo mumble something reassuringly. Chopper is a really clever kid and really grown up for his age so it's easy to forget he is only eleven years old. He is pretty sensitive and must feel really bad.

 

"It's not your fault Chopper!" he calls, but his voice still sounds weak and betrays the sentiment. "I'm just..." He doesn't know what to say anymore. Scared out of his mind? Completely screwed? Scared by the geeky rambling of a elementary school child? He lets his head fall against the cool tiles on the wall.

"Maybe there is something we can do to help." This is Robin, calm and collected as always. she sounds like she is smiling a little and Ace thinks it is touching, his friends waiting outside the bathroom door, checking on him to see if he’ll be alright.

"Guys, whats up?" Seems like Luffy’s joined them. 

 

"Ace might be sick!" Chopper says, his tone thick with worry and excitement at the same time. There is a short pause. 

 

"But he'll be alright, right?" Luffy asks finally. "Ace never really gets sick for long."

"We don't know yet. But maybe this isn't the best place to talk." Robin takes reign in the situation and Ace is grateful for that. He doesn't know if he can stand a serious talk with Luffy right now, those things are difficult enough under normal circumstances.

"We'll be in the living room if you feel better, Ace!" she says to him and at least to Ace, it's painfully obvious that she didn't even ask him if he wants to talk about it.

A short while later, he joins the other, who are gathered on the couch, except Luffy, who has sprawled all over the floor. Sabo has his phone in his hands and Chopper looks over his shoulder, occasionally pointing something out. When Ace enters, they all look up.

 

This feels like an intervention already.

"Ace," Robin begins as if she has prepared a speech. That’s probably not true, Robin just has a way of always seeming professional, but it makes him uncomfortable all the same. "We talked about this recent development and we all agree that we should try to find you a doctor as soon as possible."

 

Ace makes a move to speak up. Has he felt something else than guilt or anger at all today? He can’t remember. Still, nothing has changed since his talk with Sabo earlier today and he can't fathom why it has come to this conversation at all.

 

"We all know money is an issue here," Robin interrupts him before he can even finish the first word.

 

"So we looked it up and there are other things that we can do to help until we have it," Sabo carries on.

"Like making sure you sleep and feed you lots of meat!" Luffy adds.

 

Ace knows he shouldn’t feel that way but it is as if they had ganged up on him. Even Luffy is in, and he usually doesn't really bother with stuff until it's really important

"Maybe not meat, Luffy," Chopper tells him. "But we looked it up and narcolepsy gets worse if you don’t keep a regular sleeping schedule."

 

"So we figured we just need to keep you awake during the day."

Ace swallows thickly. He doesn't know if he wants to scream or cry. Or maybe hit something. 

 

"So you'll just make me some coffee?" he presses out. He makes a fist, but it’s so tight that his nails are digging painfully into the palms of his hand.

"We are really just trying to help you and keep you safe." Between his brothers’ and Chopper’s excitement, Robin’s voice is soothing, even if he doesn't like what she is saying. 

 

"I didn’t ask you to," he responds, but feels wrong as soon as he said it. That is not how you treat the people you love.

Noticing he still stands in the doorway, he makes an uncertain step into the room. "I'm sorry… it's just...there's nothing we can do about it, really." And he hates how defeated he sounds, how all the fight has left him after throwing up. He doesn't want to do this anymore. He is exhausted, and feels irrationally betrayed. He wishes he could be alone right now. But that would be unfair to his friends and family.

"Just let us try." It’s Robin again and, as he looks at her, her look is soft and empathetic. Ace has nothing to say against that. How can he keep on fighting against them when all they want to do is help him?

 

Slowly he makes his way over to the couch and takes place between Robin, Chopper and Sabo. Feeling their familiar shapes against his body and Sabo’s arm around his shoulders calm him down. He takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry."

Robin just smiles, Chopper hugs him from behind and Luffy just snickers as he usually does, as if his bad mood was nothing to them.

 

For a few seconds, Ace just lets himself enjoy the closeness of his friends. He is not alone, he reminds himself. Then he steels himself for the inevitable reality check. But if people like these have his back, then fate can sure try to bring it on.

"Okay, fill me in, please."


	5. 5.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Project "Reset Ace"
> 
> Just a reminder that there is [awesome art](http://denpasei.tumblr.com/post/184355518329/my-pieces-for-the-op-big-bang-i-got-to-illustrate) for this chapter. Go check it out and give denpasei lots of much deserved love!

He's halfway through what the brothers call "Project Reset Ace". Chopper came up with it, because he said Ace needed to establish a regular sleeping pattern. The one he displayed the last few days was unhealthy, so he needs something to bring it back to zero. The boy suggested that Ace stay awake for twenty-four hours, and every time he falls asleep, someone has to wake him up. His friends have set up a schedule, taking turns to stay with him and keep him awake. Ace is touched by their engagement, but he hasn’t had a second to think since yesterday and is becoming increasingly irritated.

 

Robin and Chopper just left after spending the afternoon with him and it’s Luffy’s and Sabo’s turn to watch over him now. They are sitting on the couch, or rather Sabo is sprawled across it while Luffy sits on the between them floor as usual, his head in Sabo’s hands and his feet tangled with his younger brother's.

 

He is tired, but the controller in his hand vibrates and the loud noises coming from the screen manage to distract him enough not to dwell on it. Luffy is caught up in pressing the different buttons at an incredible speed, trying to defeat some virtual monster. Ace remembers this game being fun, he just can’t feel it right now. He tries his best to keep up, though his reactions are slower than usual.

 

“Get his right, Ace!” his brother yells and his character on the screen does something anatomically impossible. Ace repeatedly slams the X-button and hopes it changes something in the game. Then there is lightning and a video plays. Luffy howls in victory, letting his controller drop into his lap. 

 

“I’m so strong!” He punches his fist in the air.

 

Sabo laughs. “Don’t you mean Geralt is?” he asks, pointing at the screen. 

 

Their little brother shrugs. “I made him do it.”

 

They can’t argue with that logic, so they share an amused look. Ace notices the tiredness settling in again and moves to get up. 

 

“Anyone else want something to drink?” he wants to know. The others shake their heads and he makes his way into the kitchen to get a glass of water.

 

He lets the tap run as he drinks greedily, feeling more thirsty than he anticipated. His messed up sleep cycle has weird effects on his body. He had a double sized portion for lunch, which alarmed Sabo, because he ate a lot in the first place. And now this.

 

He drinks in big gulps, thinking about how he’s never felt so thirsty in his life, when two hands land on his shoulders. Ace startles and spits out his drink in the process, sprinkling the sink and the tiles above. Luffy’s delighted laughter rings through the kitchen and the schadenfreude is clearly visible on his face when Ace turn around.

 

“Just you wait,” he growls, half-joking, half-angry and takes another sip of his drink, spitting it out again, this time in Luffy’s direction. 

 

Water drops land on his brother’s face and clothing. He makes a disgusted noise, snapping the glass out of Ace’s hand and emptying it in his face. Leave it to Luffy to completely escalate a situation. The delighted laughter at Aces expression makes it hard to object to the harsh treatment. Still, Ace can’t let this one slide. Holding his hand under the still running tap, he gathers some fluid in his hands and flicks it at Luffy, who tries to duck but gets hit nonetheless. 

 

“This means war!” his younger brother yells and dives through the kitchen door. Ace hears the door to his room slam closed. Nothing good can come out of this. He doesn’t know what exactly it is Luffy has in mind, but it will cause mischief and it probably has something to do with the water pistol he got for Christmas.

 

Good thing he wasn’t the only one.

 

As fast as he can, Ace ventures into his room and lets himself drop to his stomach. The water pistols were a present for Luffy when he was smaller, but he didn’t find it satisfying enough to play alone so he made Ace and Sabo get some too. They have been in some battles in the past, but since Luffy’s been in high school, he hangs out with his friends more and became a bit less childish. It’s not much, but it’s noticeable. Ace knows he put his somewhere under his bed, where he stores all the things he might eventually need again but doesn’t want to take up space in the meantime, and digs through towers of old notepads, a mini skateboard, and some embarrassing band shirts.

 

Finally, close to the wall his fingers hit the thin plastic of the pistol. It’s an advanced model, neon green with a large tank and a pump to effectively wet everything close to the user. Before he can pull it out of the mess though, he hears his door open and gets hit by a splash of cold water. His head snaps back and he sees Luffy vanish through a gap in the door.

 

“I’m gonna kick your ass!” he yells, grabs the pistol and heads into the kitchen to fill it up.

As quickly as he possibly can, he lets the water into the tank and then turns around to head after Luffy, who is almost out in the hallway. 

 

Behind him, he can hear Sabo shout, “Hey, what are you guys doing?” His tone of voice is rightfully concerned, and Ace knows that if he doesn’t get out know, Sabo will prevent him from getting his rightful revenge. 

 

So he dashes after his younger brother, who is laughing wildly and running away from him into the direction of the stairwell. Ace follows and takes aim while sprinting, hitting Luffy’s back with a big splat. The undignified shriek he earns almost is reward enough, but then he sees Luffy jump up the first flight of stairs and knows he can’t leave him be just yet. As he takes the steps one by one, he is hit by another surge of water from Luffy’s pistol, followed by him yelling, “You’re getting old, Ace!” and more manic laughter. 

 

The word echo loudly in the empty hallway and the sound of his footsteps is unnaturally loud as he follows his brother up the stairs and arrives just in time to see him round another corner. A few more steps and he will have him. Ace bursts forward, his arms almost colliding with the edge of the hallway. 

But there his brother is. Taking quick aim before he can escape again, Ace shoots a beam of water in his general direction. Luffy squeals but then begins to giggle hysterically when he begins his counter offensive. Yelling loudly, he runs towards Ace, pumping an incredible amount of water in his face. Ace lifts his hands in defense but quickly notices Luffy has no intention of letting up. 

 

So he turns around and runs straight into the direction he came from. Technically, Luffy can’t have much water left, he thinks as he flees back into the staircase, wiping his eyes dry. So if he just manages to keep on running long enough, Luffy will be out of ammo and he can get him then. Mentally congratulating himself on his genius strategy, Ace jumps down the stairs to the fourth floor again, then leaps further down until he reaches the third. His brother’s footsteps echo behind him, but he is sure he can get rid of him if he just takes a turn now. Luffy would naturally assume he is running to the first floor, to get out of the building and use the additional space to his advantage. 

 

So Ace slips onto the third floor, closing the door behind him as quietly as possible. He takes a minute to breathe and wring out some of his hair because the constant drizzle on his face is driving him insane. 

 

This would really not a good time to meet any new neighbours. Though Brook would surely find him hilarious right now. 

 

Looking around, he tries to figure out which direction is the smartest way to go, but it probably doesn’t matter anyway, since the whole building is a cube and the hallways center around its core made of the actual living space. Shrugging to himself and almost instantly feeling weird about it, he decides to go right, holding the water pistol so he can use it immediately should the need arise. 

 

Ace sneaks through the hall, conscious of every squeaking noise his feet make on the PVC floor. He is so caught up in listening for noises, for anything out of the ordinary, hurried breath or quick steps that he completely misses the sound of a door closing somewhere behind him. 

 

“I’ve been looking for you.” 

 

The voice has Ace jumping and he turns around as quickly as he possibly can and his hand on the trigger is quicker as he can thinks. 

 

The last of the water in the tanks shoots out of it and splashes a purple shirt that definitely does not belong to Luffy. 

 

His eyes wander higher.

And higher. 

 

And higher. 

 

Until they meet Marco’s unimpressed gaze. 

 

“I didn’t imagine finding you would go like this,” he says, but the corner of his mouth twitches. 

 

Is it possible to just rewind time and do things over and over again until they work out? Because this hadn’t and Ace very much hates the outcome. 

 

So there’s this super hot guy that doesn’t really like him anyway (but who Ace would totally do in a heartbeat) and the first thing he does when they accidentally meet is not making a good impression and convince him otherwise but empty half a litre of water on him? 

 

If that wasn’t so incredibly like him, he would deny it even happened. As things are, his only option is to keep on staring. 

 

“I’m sorry,” he responds and feels his cheeks go hot. “I thought you were my brother.” 

 

“So you tried to land a preemptive strike? Clever strategy, I would have done so myself.” 

 

He seems to have decided to be amused rather than angry, because the twitch of his mouth turns into a full fledged smile. “I have 13 brothers, myself, so I know what I’m talking about.” 

 

Ace’s mouth runs away from him and the words are out before he realizes he even spoke. “Excuse me, how many?” 

 

At that, Marco breaks out into full blown laughter. “I get that a lot,” he manages to gasp in between the fits. It takes a while until he is able to breathe again. “I grew up in a huge foster family. We are really close though. People tend to be confused all the time.” 

 

This is something Ace can relate to. Most people he meets are not used to his found family and are often put off by his sense of loyalty to his brothers. 

 

“Yeah, me too. It’s actually my foster brothers I’m living with.” 

 

Their eyes meet, and a moment of quiet understanding passes between them. Before it can get awkward, Marco speaks again. 

 

“So, about the cooking thing...We should probably really do it. It’s all Thatch speaks about these days.” 

 

Ace immediately feels guilty. He has no idea how Sanji feels. He has been so preoccupied with being sick and commanding all of his friends attention that he just forgot all about it. 

 

“Sanji backs never down from a challenge,” he answers, trying to win some time. “It’s true though, Sanji will probably be restless until this matter is settled once and for all. And it’s probably in the best interest of everyone who works with either of them to have a final decision over their dispute. 

 

“Yeah, let’s get over this in a quiet moment.” Marco looks pointedly at the water gun in Ace’s hands. “Maybe I could give you my number?” 

 

They end up doing it the other way around, since Ace left his phone back in his room. His stomach flutters as he lists the all too familiar digits. Marco is going to have his number, and they’re going to text. He has to somehow manage not to make a complete fool out of himself for once. Just to keep the rest of his dignity after falling asleep on the other  _ and  _ emptying half a litre of water onto his shirt. 

 

He takes a deep breath. “I’m generally free in the early evenings, after class. So, just… pick whenever it’s convenient for you.” The urge to flee is back again. Being in Marco’s presence somehow makes him feel awfully jittery, even though good looks alone shouldn’t make him this nervous. 

 

“I’ll need to check with my schedule back at the clinic,” the other man replies. “I’ll text you the time. I’m guessing you’re eager for your victory.” He grins again. 

 

“Yeah, might be a bit difficult now.” Ace shakes the empty water pistol to prove it. “I have to try to get him from behind and tickle him to get his gun.” 

 

“Ah, well played. Good luck with that.” The words are apathetic, but Marco’s eyes speak a different language. He looks almost… nostalgic? Well, he is definitely older than Ace, so maybe this is something he did with his brothers when they were children and they stopped eventually, like most grown-ups do. Well, except those who are friends with Luffy, anyway. 

 

“Thank you!” He turns around and makes his way back to the elevator. Marco doesn’t follow him, and Ace rides down alone, only to get surprised in the lobby by Luffy, who coincidentally just passed the elevators and empties what’s left in his magazine in Ace’s face with a shout of glee. He retaliates in trying to hit his brother in the face with his wet shirt, and in the end they are both on the floor, breathless with tears of laughter in their eyes. 

 

If it goes on like this, twenty four hours will go by in the bat of an eye. 

 

__  


 

The next morning, when Ace leaves for class and wishes for nothing more than coffee, and a Monster, best delivered intravenously, he sees another note at the main door. 

 

_ I hereby remind all the neighbors that playing with water guns is meant to be done OUTSIDE.  _

 

Ace is suddenly sure he is in lots of trouble. 


	6. 6.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marco and Ace are finally alone.

After Chopper’s twenty-four hour trial, a few days pass without incident. Ace has never been so relieved to fall asleep at night, and even though he keeps on waking up in the early hours, listening to music for some time before he feels tired enough to attempt sleep again, he is fine and gets through everything he has to do without endangering himself further. Chopper is caught up in research, spending hours at their place with Robin, and informs him of any and all new findings. Him and Nami make a list of possible non-medical treatments, and Vivi cooks for him during the day to keep him awake and gives him chamomile tea in the evenings to help him calm down. 

 

Ace is touched by the commitment and worry of his friends, but he feels like a burden and he hates it with every fiber of his being. He knows Vivi should work on her political career and Chopper deserves to spend his afternoons on the playground with his friends, and not cooped up in an apartment with adults who all make serious faces or lewd jokes. 

 

Sanji comes by and forces them to eat every once in a while, bringing what he claims are leftovers from the Baratie, but Ace suspects he took time out of his busy schedule to feed them. 

 

They check up on Sanji’s willingness to take part in the cooking competition. Ace was right, Sanji won’t back down, and as soon as he says the “bad T-word”, as Luffy now calls Thatch, Sanji erupts into a rant about the other cook that’s ridden with such colorful insults that even Sabo feels the need to cover Choppers ears with his hands. 

 

Then, Ace’s life goes to hell. 

 

When he and Sabo get home from their weekly workout at the gym, Ace feels relaxed, the post-workout heaviness tearing at him, but not badly, and he looks forward to spending a day on the couch, playing video games and listening to his brother’s shenanigans. Sabo has been getting even more involved with the antifa group and has started to read up on the basic texts, so they often find themselves in the living room late at night, Sabo reading and Ace mindlessly switching between TV channels or watching stuff on Netflix. Luffy joins them sometimes when he can’t sleep, but he is too restless to stay long in one place. 

 

He just wants to get the mail they forgot to bring up they day before, when he notices the unfamiliar address on one of the envelopes. It doesn’t look like a bill, and it’s not one of the usual letters they get from college or any other official bureau. While heading back to the elevator Sabo held open for him, he opens it. 

 

It’s an official written warning by their landlord. 

 

“What the-” he manages to say, before the world goes dark and he falls asleep in the elevator for the second time in two weeks. 

 

__

 

When he wakes up, they haven’t moved. Sabo sits next to him on the floor, letter in hand. 

 

“We’re so fucked.” 

 

Rubbing his face, Ace nods. “It was bound to happen, sooner or later, but I always hoped it would be later.”

 

“Or anytime except now,” Sabo remarks dryly and gives Ace’s lying form a once-over. “You good to get up?” He gives Ace a hand, and he gets to his feet awkwardly. 

  
“But with Vivi and Nami living underneath us, who would do such a thing without talking to us first?” Ace asks after a moment of uncomfortable silence. “They never told us their other neighbors were particularly sensitive to noise.” 

 

“Also Nami would probably punch anyone who says a bad word about Luffy, even if she’ll deny it until her dying day,” Sabo remarks. Nami and Luffy’s relationship is a mystery to anyone but them, but she is fiercely loyal to their little brother anyway. 

 

“We have to ask around to see if anyone knows who could have sent this so we can talk to them.” Or at least Ace hopes that talking will fix something. Looking back at his brother, he sees that Sabo has an entirely different understanding of what ‘talking’ means in this case. 

 

“Yeah, let’s settle this.” Sabo’s voice is dark as he speaks, his fist clenching and unclenching at his side.  

 

Ace knows he means well, but instead he feels himself worrying slightly about his brother’s protectiveness. “It’s probably just a misunderstanding,” he tries to calm them down, even though with the notes on the front door and now this, is probably isn’t going to work. And god knows Ace is guilty of every single thing he is being accused of. 

 

They reach their floor. Chopper and Robin are already in the living room with Luffy, who fake brawls with Chopper on the floor, tickling instead of punching him whenever he lands a hit. Robin is on the couch, a book in her lap. She looks exhausted but the glances she occasionally throws at the two boys are calm and fond. 

 

When Ace and Sabo drop next to her, she looks at the letter in Sabo’s hand. “Bad news?” 

 

Wordlessly, he hands her the letter. After reading over it quickly, she frowns. “This is unfortunate.” 

 

“Yeah.” Even Luffy and Chopper have stopped playing. Now. Luffy attempts to read the letter but gives up after a few lines and lets Chopper give him a summary of the contents.

 

“What dumbasses,” he pouts. “Don’t they have fun in their lives?” 

 

“We have to keep our ears open!” Chopper is in helping mode again. And, as before, Ace feels incredibly bad about having him help out and feeling responsible. He would like to send him away just so he will hear nothing else of their troubles. “Robin is really good at that! She can gather information like she is a secret agent!” 

 

Robin chuckles. “I guess I could keep an ear out.” 

 

They thank her, even though Luffy is the only optimistic one. Thankfully, they get disrupted by the doorbell. Nami and Vivi come over, with Zoro in tow, who brings their daily rations of Baratie leftovers straight from his and Sanji’s fridge. 

 

Without asking, Nami grabs the letter from Robin’s hands and breaks out in a wave of swear words that Luffy only laughs at, but make Chopper go red with embarrassment. 

 

“We’ll find that son of a bitch,” she swears. The look in her eyes is the same one Ace saw on Sabo earlier, and he is suddenly afraid of what would happen if both of them teamed up for any reason. Vivi touches her shoulder soothingly.

 

Luckily, Luffy’s insistence of eating quickly puts a stop to any kind of discussion about the letter. Ace feels relieved about it, he’s uncomfortable at the thought of involving their friends further with his issues. 

 

He thinks back on his sleep attack earlier in the elevator. Clearly excitement seems to be some kind of trigger for whatever this weird illness is. Chopper’s research says it could be narcolepsy, but he is still not entirely sure about him of all people being sick with something so rare. It just… why should it be him? Of all the people for bad things to happen to, why him?  _ And _ , a little voice at the back of his mind supplies,  _ haven’t they been through enough already?  _

 

Ace has made an uneasy peace with knowing that his biological father was one of the most famous criminals of the twentieth century. He knows he could have had it far worse than being the son of a thief, and that there are children of rapists and murderers out there and they all have to keep on living somehow. But he didn’t ask for the contempt he met back he when he still carried his father’s name. He hasn’t forgotten all the people who somehow thought he was destined to live the legacy of Gol D. Roger. 

 

Until Luffy’s grandfather dropped him off at Dadan’s and Sabo showed up, Ace grew up with the silent certainty that there was no hope for him. A shadow of that feeling is back now. If he really has a chronic illness and there is nothing he can do then he is beyond hope and his fate is already written out for him. 

 

He hates it. He wishes he could wipe it out of his brain, but it stays even through all of the laughter at lunch and the unruly afternoon that follows. Even when Brook shows up at his door and hits it off with Luffy right away. He brought a guitar and they sit in the living room, playing music and singing loudly. He would like to join them but he can’t bring himself to. 

 

So he goes to his room early, mumbling something about studying and “keeping up his sleep and exercise schedule” that seems to somehow calm his friends down but it is a blatant lie. He just goes to bed and listens to the noise coming from the rest of his flat. 

 

He knows he can be a handful, still doubting himself as often as he does, and that without his brothers and his friends he would be terribly lost. So Ace can’t understand why his body would give out on him, of all things wrong with him, from his genetic heritage, to the poverty he grew up in, to his struggles to make the grades he needs to maintain the scholarship that keeps the roof over their heads, why can’t this damned thing just work? 

 

The spiral of pity for himself threatens to pull him under and he knows it, but he can’t stop the thoughts from coming, the rage from building up inside of him. And he doesn’t even know if he wants to any longer. 

 

While he’s still trying to decide if he should just get himself off the bed again to do something productive, like actually trying to study or doing his own research for his symptoms, his phone vibrates. At first he thinks it’s just a text from his friends checking in to see if he’s alright or maybe from one of the people in his classes, asking about an assignment. But it’s a number he doesn’t recognize. 

 

_ “About the cooking contest thing- Are you free tomorrow at some point to go over the organization? Surprisingly got a day off. Marco.”  _

 

Ace’s heart skips a beat at that. He knew Marco would contact him eventually, but he put it off and completely forgot about it in the commotion of the afternoon. Now that he remembers, he can feel nervousness settling in. Until now, every one of their meetings had been by chance. To actually set up a date to meet and talk to him for longer than a few minutes causes Ace to draw in a shaky breath. He remembers the weird glances the other man threw at him when they met at Brook’s place and the understanding they shared the last time they met. How will another meeting go down? Will it be weird or friendly? Will Ace keep his cool the next time or fail and let Marco know exactly how much he’d like to see him naked? 

 

What should he text back? He has to sound casual somehow, because this isn’t a big deal. Well, it is, they are organizing an event that will not only be public but also have lots of influence on their respective circle of friends and family. Ace hasn’t really thought about what will happen if Sanji loses - but it’s not a long stretch to suspect all hell will break loose. But well, meeting Marco shouldn’t be. 

 

_ Yes, I’m just studying, so am good to meet whenever _ , he types and then hits send before he can think about how many possibilities there are to interpret the words. The answer arrives almost immediately, it’s just a time and Marco’s apartment number. There is no need to reply to that, Ace tells himself but hopes Marco’s short answer won’t be an indicator of what is waiting for him upon meeting tomorrow. 

 

He spends ten minutes staring at his phone despite knowing nothing else will happen. If they ever figure out what this illness thing is and how he can get around it, he needs someone to work his sexual frustration out with.

 

Suddenly, the door opens, revealing Nami. 

 

“Are you okay?” she asks, looking determined in a way Ace doesn’t fully understand. 

 

He just nods. “Just getting ready for going to bed.” He hates being so evasive, but he has to sort this out himself. His friends deserve an evening of fun and games, not him being a downer because of something he has no control over. 

 

Still, Nami isn’t ready to leave it alone just yet. “The two weeks are almost over.” 

 

It takes a moment for him to catch up on the meaning of her words. Then he remembers their talk in the Moby Dick a couple of weeks ago. He’d hoped Nami and Vivi would just forget all about it, especially now that Robin and Chopper are involved. But it seems he’s not that lucky. 

 

“I’m on it,” he says. It’s a blatant lie, and it’s never a good idea to lie to Nami of all people. “I made an appointment. But it’ll be a while, you know doctors.” 

 

Nami doesn’t believe a single thing he just said and he can see it in her face. But she just says “Fine!”, shoots him a very pointed look and closes the door behind her. 

 

Fuck, now he actually has to do something or she will make him suffer forever.

 

__

 

The next morning passes more quickly than Ace would have liked. Between breakfast, listening to Luffy’s plans for the day and watching Sabo google strategies to avoid the police at demonstrations on his laptop, he doesn’t really notice the clock ticking until it is shortly before he is supposed to meet Marco. He hasn’t even showered yet. 

 

Thinking it would be appropriate to at least smell like a civilized human being, he takes the quickest shower in his personal history, ignoring the slight disappointment over not having enough time to make an effort. He would like to at least have tried his best to convince Marco to get it on with him, but as it happens more and more often recently, fate seems to be against him. So he pulls on the first clothes he finds in his closet and hurries down to where he now knows Thatch and Marco live. Though he hopes Thatch will be absent today so they won’t be giving him an unfair advantage. He knows Sanji can pull his own weight easily when it comes to cooking, but he is still biased in favor for his friend. 

 

Today it’s the staircase that is his undoing. Ace should probably be used to his body giving out on him by now, but just as he makes his way down from the fourth floor, his knees suddenly go weak. 

 

Like, really weak. As usual, he is fine one second and the next there is a sinking feeling, like he is incredibly nervous (and he is nervous, but not enough to lose balance, thank you very much) and his legs just give out under him. 

 

It’s probably only because sparring with his brothers gave him some really quick reflexes, that he manages to hold onto the railing just in time, instead of falling down the five remaining steps. His knuckles are white around the cool metal and his heart is racing. 

 

What the fuck. This could have ended painfully. Is this a new way his body has thought of to torture him and make life needlessly difficult? 

 

Ace needs to convince his hands to let go, relaxing one finger at a time. He can’t think about this now, he has to get down to Marco and get the competition going, has to look presentable somehow. 

 

He takes a deep breath. Well, he can’t change anything now anyway, he just might have to live with it. And take the elevator next time. Though, until then, Ace takes the steps more slowly and carefully than he ever has in his life. 

 

He rings the doorbell and draws another breath. Just don’t fall asleep, he tells himself. The rest should be easy. He is a people person after all. He is good looking, not stupid (though Sabo tells him otherwise as often as he can), and invested in giving Sanji an outlet for his rivalry aside from beating their neighbors up. There is nothing that can go wrong. 

 

Marco opens the door and  _ yes _ . Damn. Ace would really love to get his hands on those abs. Marco stands before him, in trousers, a turquoise scarf wrapped around his hips and a black shirt. It’s still unbuttoned and so Ace gets a good look on a very muscular chest, a solid six pack and a giant tattoo of what seems like some kind of cross. Well, he won’t complain, even though if Marco doesn’t button up the shirt he will have serious trouble concentrating.

 

“Come in.” Marco smiles at him, and for the first time it’s genuine and inviting. Ace lets out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding - it seems like this is going to be easy. 

 

Marco and Thatch’s flat is weirdly tidy compared to what Ace is used to. No clutter is lying around, every single book and memorabilia seems to have its own place. All the colors fit together and it looks like it’s being regularly cleaned. So it’s exactly the opposite from his own apartment, which is untidy at best and most of the time just literal chaos. All the people that come and go leave their mark and neither of his brothers care much about tidiness. It can be rough sometimes, but every room is well lived in and bears a lot of memories. 

 

The only thing that reminds him of the presence of people in Marco’s apartment is the big wall hung with framed pictures, probably family photos. The rest of the living room that leads into an open kitchen looks like it rarely sees people. Then again, if Thatch is anything like Sanji, he would work long hours, and who knows what Marco’s job was. 

 

“Make yourself comfortable.” Marco gestures to the large couch in the center of the living room. “Can I offer you anything? Coffee?” 

 

Chopper’s told him he should stay far away from caffeine, so Ace declines, and after just a second of awkwardness Marco settles into an armchair across from him. 

 

“So.” He clears his throat. “The cooking thing.” 

 

Ace cannot decide if there is a sarcastic undertone to his voice, but his face has the same half- amused, half disinterested expression he saw when they met at Brook’s. 

 

“Yeah, sorry about Sanji, by the way. I seriously underestimated how seriously he takes his professional competitors.” And because he didn’t grow up to be rude, he adds, ”And sorry again for soaking you during out water fight,” for good measure. 

 

“Really, it’s no big deal.” Marco chuckles and it almost sounds cute. Which doesn’t seem to be a word that fits someone who is a head taller than Ace and positively ripped. “I would have done the same.” 

 

“Then I’m really grateful that I hit someone who knows what a pain in the ass brothers can be.” 

 

This time they both laugh and it relaxes a bit of the tension of people meeting alone for the first time. 

 

“So, I thought we need to get some people to be the judges for this competition who don’t know either Sanji or Thatch personally,” Ace starts. To be honest, this is the only thing he’s come up with while thinking about the contest. He just got so distracted by everything else and his thoughts constantly went back on his friends and how guilty he feels about involving them with his problems. Now he feels guilty because he hasn’t taken the contest more seriously and turned up to this meeting empty handed. He swallows it down though, vowing to stay on the task at hand, his thoughts on his friends or Marco’s lack of a shirt be damned. 

 

“Oh definitely, yoi. We will never hear the end of it if we choose people that could be biased in any way.” 

 

“But how do we find people willing to participate?” 

 

Marco stays quiet for a while, seemingly thinking about it. “Maybe we could give away cards through a food blog or something. I think one of my brothers has some connections and can hook us up.” 

 

Ace nods enthusiastically. “That would be awesome, we just have to determine how many” 

 

From then on, the ideas keep flowing freely. They both get into the idea more and more and Ace can see himself almost looking forward to the contest, not just for relief, but because the plan that begins to take shape between them sounds awesome. 

 

They are going to host the event in the Moby Dick, since Ace can’t imagine Zeff, Sanji’s father, willing to close down the Baratie for an entire day. There will be around thirty people in attendance and, if Thatch and Sanji agree, they can live tweet the event either on the food blog they’re advertising on or one of the restaurants pages. The challenge will be a three course meal. They sought common ground on the menus of the two restaurants and decided on italian cuisine, since it’s popular and both the audience and the people who will follow on social media will be able to use the recipes after the event. It will also allow both cooks to work on their own twist to basic recipes. 

 

As they jot down the details and work out a to-do list, Ace realizes they have been sitting together for hours. He hadn’t even noticed. Marco is fun and professional to work with. He has a bold sense of humor, a bit on the teasing side that sometimes works it’s way through his attempt at bringing up solutions. He’s quite good at it, too, knows lots of people and can turn seemingly every difficulty Ace foresees around. 

 

“Have you done this before?” Ace wants to know eventually, when Marco sets up a different list for people they can ask to serve as a referee to help enforce the rules. 

 

Marco finishes the list before answering. “Well, our father is quite popular, so we regularly set up parties for important events. They tend to be for a lot of people.” 

 

“Wow.” Ace has never had many parties. Sure, they have their own group of friends over at the apartment regularly, but holidays or birthdays tended to be small gatherings when they were kids and they kind of kept the habit. The only exceptions are Sanji’s dinners, but well, he isn’t organizing them, only attending. “It certainly pays off now. I don’t really know shit about how to plan anything. Though with my family, any plan is null and void as soon as Luffy shows up.” 

 

They laugh at that and, for a moment, their eyes meet. Really it’s a shame Marco doesn’t seem to find him attractive, because Ace surely does, and he would give a lot if he could just lean over and kiss Marco now. The armchair really is sturdy enough to support both of them and Ace would fit marvellously into Marco’s lap if he does say so himself.  

 

But then the moment is over. The other man clears his throat again. “So, I suggest we should start calling people by tomorrow to get this set up as quickly as possible. Which half of the list do you want to take? Bottom or top?” 

 

Switch, Ace thinks and bites his tongue just in case the words are in any danger of slipping out. He settles for the bottom half, partly disappointed that this is all the bottoming he’s going to do here. 

 

“I’ll talk to Sanji, will you let me know if your brother puts you in contact with that food blogger?” 

 

Marco nods while still adding note to the list. “I’ll text you what I’ve written down together with the numbers later today. I think I need to take a break after this much thinking. Do something with my hands.” 

 

Ace supposes this is the end of their meeting. “Great,” he says, getting up. “I’ll hope this will go the way we want it to and finally bring peace to the food wars.” Speaking of food, he could eat again and his stomach growls. Hopefully Luffy left him something from the lastest Baratie package. 

 

Marco looks up at him when he hears the noise his stomach makes. “Why didn’t you tell me you were hungry? We could have taken a break any time.” 

 

“I didn’t want to impose.” And honestly, while there is little that can distract him from his next meal (he is very similar to Luffy like that), Marco did the job just fine. 

 

“You wouldn’t have.” Marco ruffles his own hair. “Let me make it up to you. Thatch brought home a bunch of leftovers from the Moby yesterday and I can’t possibly eat them all on my own.” 

 

Though Ace is spoiled by high quality of food, who is he to say no to something that’s not just free but also eaten in good company. “Only if you don’t tell Sanji, though.” 

 

Grinning, Marco shakes his head, looking gravely serious. 

 

“Your secret is safe with me.” Then he turns around and makes his way through the open living room into what seems to be an expensive kitchen. It’s probably Thatch’s domain, everything is tidy and in order. Marco looks weirdly lost there, as if he barely uses it. 

 

As he opens the fridge, Ace can see the usual chaos of several takeaway containers and some drinks in there. Their fridges certainly look alike, though between him, Sabo and Luffy, no food ever lasts long. And as with the rest of their apartments, none of them bothers too much with cleaning up after themselves. 

 

“Do you know how Thatch and Sanji got this rivalry thing into their heads in the first place?” he asks, just to make smalltalk and because he wouldn’t mind getting to know Marco a bit better. Even if they’ll never hook up, maybe they can become friends. He would like that, too. 

 

Marco’s head appears over the edge of the refrigerator door. “I wish I didn’t, but by God, I know every single detail.” He looks like he regrets all of his life decisions up to this point as he remembers it. 

 

Ace feels a grin steal itself on his face. “Then share your suffering and spill.” 

 

__

  
  


Later, much later, Marco walks Ace out of his apartment. “Thanks for the meal,” Ace says after he put on his shoes again. They both stand by the door. It’s not unusual, quite the opposite, Ace knows it’s basic manners, but somehow he feels Marco is just a bit too close to him. He has to look up to him to meet his eyes. 

 

“No problem. It was good having you here. And I think we got this event well under control.” He smiles at his own words. “I’ll text you.” 

 

Marco leans forward to open the door for him and for the fracture of a moment he is  _ really _ close to Ace. It would be so easy to touch him right now, he wouldn’t even have to stretch his arms. Just lift his hands the tiniest bit and he would now how Marco’s skin felt like. Would he be warm or cold under his hands? The skin soft or calloused? He’s dying to find out, and his fingers itch with want. 

 

He almost does it. 

 

But thankfully, this moment, too, passes quickly, and he can step through the open door. “I’ll be waiting for your message,“ he answers on autopilot and smiles up at Marco before he turns around and leaves. 

 

“See you soon,” he hears the other man say behind him. And he knows it’s just an empty phrase, but as he walks up to their apartment again, for a second he lets himself pretend that it isn’t. 


	7. 7.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ace receives some bad news.

The next day it’s Ace that rings Robin and Chopper’s doorbell instead of the other way around. Robin let’s him in without another word, and when she goes to knock on Chopper’s door to get him, he has already opened it and is coming to greet Ace. 

 

“Did something happen?” he asks, as if he could somehow sense Ace’s discomfort. Before he can answer, Robin leads them into the living room, where they settle in large, comfortable armchairs, before Ace gets to tell the tale of him unlearning how to use the stairs. He feels uneasy about being here, as to be expected, but he dreads telling his story to Nami or Sabo, who both would drive him to a hospital ASAP. 

 

At his description, Chopper frowns. “I think I’m right with narcolepsy,” he says, looking as convinced as possible for a ten year old. “You would need a complete diagnostic in a sleep laboratory to put it down, but all the symptoms you describe fit.” Then he begins to list a lot of long, complicated sounding words of which Ace understands exactly none. What he understands is that he’s sick, and from what he’s gathered from Chopper’s reports up until now is that it’s not curable. 

 

Taking a deep breath, he asks Chopper about it. Before he can answer though, Robin cuts him off.

 

“Chopper, please be so kind and make us some tea,” she instructs. For a second, her son looks like he is about to object, but then he just bows his head and heads off. Seconds later,  Ace can hear the the opening and closing of cupboard doors. 

 

“I looked into the research Chopper did,” she says after a few moments of silence. “He’s rarely wrong.” 

 

Ace knows that. Chopper is the smartest kid, well, the smartest person he knows and that includes Sabo as well as Robin. He has been geeking out about medicine since Ace has known him, he even caught him trying to borrow medical textbooks from the library once. He is the closest Ace has come to seeing a real doctor in years now. 

 

“So, that means I’ll never be healthy again.” 

 

Robin wouldn’t be herself if she wasn’t brutally honest. “No.” 

 

Even though he suspected she might say that, the words still hit him like a truck. 

 

For a moment, his brain refuses to work and all of his thoughts stand still, circling around what Robin had just said. How one tiny syllable could change your whole life. He’s thought about his illness a lot these past few weeks, but he had still hoped there would be an easy way out, that it would go away on its own. And even if he really had to see a doctor and get medication, he had hoped that it would a be one time thing; just take pills for a few days and everything would be fine again. 

 

He’s lied to himself, big time. 

 

At the realization, an unnatural calm settles in him. So that’s it. He had been so afraid to hear it out loud, and now that the words hang in the room, it’s a bit of a relief, even if it’s bitter. He can’t see himself going to classes or actually working right now, if he can’t even take the fucking stairs or ride an elevator without falling asleep or fucking up, maybe they’ll still figure it out. When he was a kid, he had seen Shanks beat people up with only one arm. Maybe he can find a workaround. 

 

Or maybe not. He pushes the thought as far away as he can. 

 

When Robin looks at him, her gaze is steady. She always seems to be, even if she hasn’t eaten in three days and is just short of passing out. Right now, it’s almost comforting that at least she keeps her contenance, while Ace thinks too much too quickly and he doesn’t know where one train of thought ends and the other begins. He imagines telling the news to Luffy and Sabo, pictures Luffy’s undying optimism and Sabo’s grim resolve to make things easier for him. He imagines falling asleep in a test and failing just because he couldn’t stay awake like a normal person. 

 

“You know there are treatment possibilities, of course.” 

 

Yeah, and they probably cost more money than Ace has ever seen in his life. “Do you really think I could afford them?” 

 

“Do you really think we would let you try on your own?” 

 

He doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Robin-” he begins, but doesn’t know how to finish the sentence, the words just get stuck in his throat. He doesn’t know why his friends think he is worth all this. Sure, they are close and he loves them with all his heart, but thinking about Robin trying to help him out even though she is stretched thin as she is right now? 

 

He remembers Sabo saying they could always go back to Shanks. Knowing his brother is prepared to throw away his entire civilian life for him, again, is almost heartbreaking. 

 

“Leave it for another day,” she suggests. Ace has never really put her down as a motherly mom, not that he has much experience with them to begin with, yet suddenly he understands. It touches him even more, to see her smile at him with more love in her eyes than he would have ever thought possible for a person to contain. 

 

He has tears in his eyes. “Thank you.” The words are not even remotely enough to convey what he is really feeling, but she seems to understand anyway. 

 

They sit in silence for a few more minutes, Ace trying to dry his tears with the hem of his shirt until Robin shows mercy and hands him a tissue. Eventually, Chopper returns, glances at him worryingly, and sets town a cup of tea in front of him. He awkwardly pats his back, and the feeling of his small hands against his shoulder makes Ace smile again. 

 

“We have some other news for you, if you want it,” Robin informs him when Ace has gained his composure back.

 

He is desperate for a distraction. 

 

“Please.” 

 

“We’ve found the evil neighbor!” Chopper bursts out. 

 

“Well, I wouldn’t call him evil. He seems to be a doctor who lives on the fifth floor,” Robin corrects her son. “We  _ accidentally  _ overheard him talking on the phone.” Ace has no doubt there was nothing coincidental about this. “He was complaining about noise and his lack of sleep, so it is very likely you can reach a compromise with him.” 

 

Ace isn’t as optimistic at first. Being quiet is not exactly one of his strengths and neither Sabo nor Luffy aren’t any good at it either. Maybe they can sway him somewhat if they apologize properly. 

 

“Which one is his apartment?” he asks. It’s not a big deal. He’ll just go up there later today and tell their neighbor he is sorry and they will try to keep it down. Ace has apologized to a lot of people in his life so he has plenty of practice and at least it will show he’s willing. Especially where Luffy is concerned. 

 

“I’ll take you there after we finished out tea,” Robin answers. She probably suspected he cannot wait to get this over with. 

 

Chopper and Robin do their best to distract him from the bad news he received earlier in the afternoon. They talk about how Chopper’s doing in school (very well, of course, Ace wouldn’t have expected anything else) and what interesting facts about reindeers he learned when he got a book about biology at the library. Robin tells an anecdote about one of her coworkers pouring coffee all over the papers he graded, which then resulted in a frantic attempt to hide that half of them had become illegible. 

 

Some time passes as they drink up. Ace actually feels a bit better now, and he pushes the remaining thoughts away for later, when he is alone in his room. They make their way up to the fifth floor eventually, Chopper in tow, who refuses to get left behind. Robin remarks it’s not the worst strategy to bring a child along, making Ace think long and hard about what other tricks she has up her sleeve to get what she wants. 

 

“What if he’s not home?” Chopper asks when they step into the hallway. 

 

Ace shrugs. “Then I’ll try again later, or tomorrow.” 

 

It’s not a surprise to learn that the mysterious neighbor has the flat directly over theirs. He must have been exposed to some of their best of shenanigans in the past, then. But it’s still worth a try; it’s not like an apology can make things worse as they already are. 

 

He rings the doorbell. 

 

The apartment behind the door lays quiet for a few seconds and just when Ace ponders if he should ring again or just come back another time, the door opens. Through the small slit between door and frame Ace can see a pale face and two eyes with heavy bags under them. Damn, this person looks like Ace feels most of the time nowadays. 

 

“Yes?” his neighbors snarls. 

 

So Ace smiles his most charming smile and introduces himself as one of the tenants living underneath him. But before he is finished, the guy tries to slam the door in his face. Startled, Ace presses against it, but it is Robin’s foot in the doorway that keeps it from closing. 

 

It doesn’t look like it, but that must have hurt. 

 

Robin has the strangest smile on her face when she greets him and holds out his hand for him. It’s a mixture between calm and predatory and it’s deeply unsettling. 

 

“Now, since it was me who told my friend the number of the apartment, let me say that I didn’t want to breach your privacy,” she continues after stating her name. Her voice is deeper than usual and sounds even more confident than Ace already expects from her. He wonders if it’s her work voice, the one she uses to deal with unruly college kids and sexist colleagues. 

 

“It was my impression that it would be beneficial to all the parties involved if we could sit down and talk about this… unfortunate situation.” 

 

Her professionalism sends shivers down Ace’s spine. It’s not that he didn’t know Robin could be fucking terrifying but the extent of it only dawns on him now. 

 

He is not the only one who feels this way. His neighbor, who is named Law, if the name next to the bell is correct, looks at her in disbelief for a second. His eyes are wider than before and he seems to be torn between anger and bafflement. Then he looks her over, from head to toe. Whatever he sees obviously impresses him, since he steps back from the door and bids them into the hallway with a lazy gesture. 

 

His apartment is poorly furnished and everything seems to be old and worn down. It’s neat and tidy, but the couch they are led to has several holes in it and the table in front of it wobbles dangerously when Ace accidentally bumps against it. He always thought doctors would earn at least enough to buy furniture. 

 

They sit down, Law in an armchair that has seen better days and Chopper, Robin and Ace on the couch opposite of him. When they are seated, he repeats the gesture from a few minutes ago. 

 

“So, talk.” 

 

Ace begins his apology. He tells his neighbor that they are very young and Luffy is still in high school, but that that’s no excuse to bother him the way they did. He promises to try harder in the future and be more mindful of the other people in the building. He has his head bowed to indicate how serious he is, but when he looks up to sneak a glance at the other man’s reaction, he notices he is not looking at him, but at Robin. 

 

Ace stops mid sentence. What the fuck is going on? Chopper sends him an irritated glance, clearly not used to Ace being unfriendly with someone. Law on the other hand, doesn’t even seem to notice. 

 

Robin seems caught up, too, their eyes are locked over the ridiculously broken coffee table. None of them is paying attention to the other two people in the room. 

 

“...so yeah, we are very sorry,” Ace finishes belatedly, signaling them it’s time to focus again. Law moves his head in Ace’s direction as if he’d woken up from a daydream. Robin is way more composed, but from the corner of his eyes Ace can see her fiddling with the edge of her skirt. So that was why she wanted to come along with him. What a clever move. He grins, even though it’s kind of inappropriate in his current situation. 

 

“I hope we will never bother you again,” he says to Law, who is just staring at him with narrowed eyes. 

 

A few seconds pass. 

 

“Just let me sleep.” Law’s voice is incredibly tired and Ace sympathizes with him a lot. Looks like they both have troubles in that department. So he nods. Law turns slightly away from him, which seems to indicate the conversation is over. For a second he wants to ask about the formal complaint, but Robin and Law are making eyes at each other again, leaving Chopper looking lost next to his mother. He seems bored. 

 

Ace wants to say something, but then, in all of the time he has known Robin she has not once shown interest in romance or sex, so he’d feel kind of bad about breaking it up just yet. He wonders why it has to be Law though. It’s not that he’s ugly. He looks pretty young, or at least his body does, and relatively athletic. He’s tall and has a goatee that could be considered charming - but he’s obviously no fun and his face looks indefinitely older than he probably is. 

 

But he is not Robin and he’s never cared too much about the brooding types, anyway. 

 

“Excuse me, but are you really a doctor?” Chopper interrupts whatever is going on between his mother and Law. 

 

Law seems to only notice him now and his eyes widen in surprise. “Yes, I am a surgeon, actually.” 

 

That was the wrong thing to say. Or maybe it was exactly the right thing. Because Chopper immediately fires off a series of questions in Law’s direction, ranging from anatomy to surgical techniques to how it is to work in a hospital. There are so much they blur together in Ace’s ear and all the Latin makes him dizzy. Robin chuckles next to them and Law doesn’t interrupt the boy even once. 

 

It’s quite tiring to hear all those big words and Ace notices his thoughts drifting, going back to the narcolepsy thing and when he tries to forget about that, he thinks about the cooking contest.

 

He called so many people this afternoon, before visiting Robin and Chopper and they are now officially doing this. He texted Marco his progress, together with a string of emojis to indicate how he felt , but had received no reply until he had to leave his apartment. Maybe there’ll be an answer when he goes back up? It’s weird to think that he’s looking forward to a text so much, but he had a really good time. And if Robin can flirt with their neighbor in situations like these, why can’t he? 

 

He notices that Law has begun to answer Choppers questions. He looks a bit more awake now, his voice a bit more lively and hands moving occasionally as he talks. Chopper hangs onto his every word, sometimes interrupting him excitedly to ask another question, which in turn gets answered, too. Ace doesn’t know how long he is listening to them, but eventually, their voices start to fade away and his head sinks back against the back of the couch. If he can just rest for a minute… 

 

He is woken up by a hand gently shaking him. It’s Robin, who towers over him, a smile on her face. 

 

“I’m sorry we let you wait for so long,” she apologizes.

 

Chopper chimes in from next to him. “But it was all so exciting, I’ve never met a surgeon before and-” A look from Robin shuts him up momentarily. Ace looks around. They are still at Law’s, he remembers, and he just fell asleep on his couch like he had no manners whatsoever. 

 

“Oh fuck.” He rubs his face, trying to wake up. 

 

“Law isn’t mad at you,” Chopper comforts him. “He thought it was funny that we bored you this much.” Ace would rather have made a better impression on the man that could get them kicked out of their apartment faster than he can blink. 

 

“Don’t worry.” Robin’s voice has that tone again and for a moment Ace believes her. “It’s all going to work out.” 

 

Ace he nods, and tries to get up. Of course, this is the moment his body decides to play another prank on him and, as he is almost standing, his knees do the thing again and he falls heavily on Robin. She catches him and puts him down on the couch, where Chopper looks at him, worry written all over his face. 

 

“Is that what happened when you were on your way to Marco?” he wants to know and when Ace confirms, he frowns. “I have to do some research on that!” 

 

Ace is too tired to object, even though he would like to say that Chopper (and Robin, but Chopper most of all)  has really done enough now. The rest is his to deal with. 

 

He ends up sitting down for a few more minutes before he trusts his legs enough to give it another try. This time everything works fine, and he is able to say goodbye to Law, who is not looking as angry as before, apologize again and head out the door, Robin and Chopper following, who seem more reluctant to leave than he is. 

 

When he gets back home, Luffy has eaten most of the food available and he has to fight him for the rest of it, but then they settle on the couch to watch some stupid reality TV for however long his brother can sit still. He checks his phone eventually, and, sure enough, there is a new message from Marco. It’s just a joke about one of the people on their to-call-list and a thank you, but at this point, it just about makes his day. 


	8. 8.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Final preparations.

Ace wouldn’t have taken Marco to be a big texter, so he is genuinely surprised when the other man not only keeps him updated on every single organizational detail over the next few weeks, but also calls from time to time to go over some decisions with him. Usually, the calls will start with business, but since Marco is easy to work with, they quickly turn into something else. Marco starts telling him about his work days. Ace still hasn’t figured out what it is he does exactly, but it seems to be somehow related to hospitals. He hears all about the weirdest injuries, from sex toys that somehow got stuck to the gory details of third degree burns. 

 

He pays in anecdotes of his brothers, prompting Marco to remember his own family life. They get into some kind of mock competition over it, comparing their chaotic family lives. Marco has more brothers but a strong parental figure to keep the peace, while Sabo, Luffy and Ace are fewer but grew up mostly unsupervised - which meant more time for mischief. Ace is confident he is winning. 

 

It grows into some kind of ritual. Marco calls when he is off work, which can be any time between afternoon and evening. Sometimes, in the early mornings, he sends texts, asking if Ace is awake yet, and while Ace has been a heavy sleeper for most of his life (he had to be), he finds his sleep becoming more and more easily disturbed, until he even has to take the batteries out of the clock in the kitchen because he can hear the ticking through the walls. 

 

He tries sleeping with ear plugs but it doesn’t help. So he has lots of time, gets ahead on his coursework, even though he can’t remember much of it afterwards and is active on social media solely because he is bored. The calls are a welcome distraction from the endless hours he spends awake. 

 

Ace meets up with Brook a few times. The older man claims he works better in the night anyway and Ace listens to him compose while mindlessly scrolling through his instagram feed (which consists almost exclusively of food blogs and pretty pictures of beaches). 

 

When he looks in the mirror, he can see the black shadows under his eyes. They make him look older than he actually is. He knows he used to smile more too, but the best he can muster now is sarcastic grin in the vague direction of his reflection when he enters the bathroom. Luffy notices and asks him about it, but he doesn’t know how to answer. He is just scared. 

 

He falls asleep a lot  during the day so he learns to keep a few feet away from the edge of the sidewalk, takes the last row in his lectures. He notices his friends trying to make it easier on him. One day he wakes up and sees Sabo lying next to him after another attack, drawing looks from the people passing by. 

 

“I thought it would look more intentional when I did it, too,” Sabo grins and it actually makes them laugh so hard that a security guard from a nearby store comes over and tells them to leave. 

 

Even Nami goes soft on him. When he falls asleep on her couch he wakes with a blanket draped over him and some ginger tea slowly cooling on the table. 

 

It’s as touching as it’s frustrating. 

 

Getting used to new habits and the preparations for the cooking contest take over most of his days, and Zoro manages to sneak even more food their way as Sanji practices furiously, long after he is home from work. 

 

That’s another thing Ace values about the talks with Marco - Marco doesn’t know. Sure, he had seen him that one day in the elevator, but nothing out of the ordinary has happened since then. So they never talk about it, and there are no pitying looks thrown his way, no careful undertone in his voice. It’s good to feel normal, especially since Ace still has no idea how to deal with this except for the small suggestions Chopper makes from time to time. 

 

He pushes these thoughts aside and focuses on preparations. He visits the Moby Dick again, this time with Marco, two cups of coffee making him dizzy (he knows Chopper would not approve). They plan to arrange tables for better access and talk about the kitchen set up with the staff. Thatch tries his best to seem relaxed and confident, but every now and again his ambitious streak shimmers through his calm exterior. 

 

For once, something goes splendidly and without complications. It’s what they deserve, Ace thinks, for getting into a fight that isn’t really theirs. Secretly, Marco and Ace have termed it “The War to End all Wars”, like the WWI slogan (something Ace didn’t know before he and Marco started talking, but he will take this secret to his grave). They meet the referee, Pudding, who seems to be a sweet girl and most fittingly makes the best chocolate Ace has eaten in his life.

 

After what seems like an eternity, but has only been a few weeks, the day finally arrives. All of Sanji’s friends are assigned duties to help around the event. All the supplies are ordered from stores of Marco and Aces choosing. Zoro and Chopper will pick them up in the morning. Guests are invited, there’s a facebook event and Pudding took some pictures of their meeting. 

 

Everything is in place. 

 

Ace is at Brook’s place, an empty bottle of beer before him. It’s well into the night and, even if they both have to get up early (because of course the musician is invited to attend the contest, it’s about two of his neighbors after all), they are both wide awake. This time, Brook sits opposite  him, a big western guitar in his lap, and he quietly strums random sequences of chords and notes. He seems to be looking for something, but Ace doesn’t know what, and Brook is not good at putting it into words. He just tells random anecdotes about his former band (whose members seem to have passed away) and occasionally curses. Through the windows, Ace sees the summer sun rise. It’s going to be a long day, and he finds himself half dreading, half looking forward to it. 

 

It’s once again Marco who wakes him up, a little later, with a paper bag and two coffees in hand. How he knew where to look for him, Ace will probably never know, but he takes the cup with gratitude. As before, he knows he shouldn’t have caffeine, but he intends to push through. If this thing is going down, Ace is going to give it his best and help Sanji´leave his rivalry behind him before someone gets hurt. 

 

Too tired to speak, Ace sits in Brook’s living room eating the pastry Marco has brought him for breakfast and listens to the new status report. Apparently all the ingredients have made it to the Moby safely and are stored appropriately. All people are ready to go, and the only thing that’s left to do for Marco and Ace is get going to redecorate the Moby. 

 

Marco is uncharacteristically chipper, especially for the early morning hours. He talks all the way down to the ground floor and half of the car ride. His shoulders are tense and Ace can only guess that he is as excited to see what the day will bring as he is. 

 

They are greeted by Zoro and Chopper at the door. Zoro looks grumpy, and while Ace rarely is in a bad mood himself, he can sympathize. Hopefully rearranging the furniture will help them get a good start of the day. 

 

“Let’s get rocking!” he says, after they shake hands and Marco is properly introduced. It’s his first real sentence of the day and his voice still feels raw. He probably sounds as tired as he feels.

 

Marco and Ace decide to change only little in the venue they’ll occupy for they day. They want to put most of the tables together in the dining area so the atmosphere shifts from simply eating out to deliver more of the feeling of community. Sabo also has painted a banner for them with the leftovers of his protest supplies which they will hang up opposite the entrance. 

 

It’s hard work, and it’s even harder to try to keep Chopper out of it. 

 

“I want to help you!” he says, pushing chairs and trying to get Zoro to let him carry the tables too. 

 

“There are three grown ups here to do the work, just wait for creepy lady to arrive!” Zoro growls, holding a table with both hands as if it weighs nothing. “You can help place the banner later.”

 

“But-” 

 

The sound of someone entering stops the argument. It’s Pudding, phone in hand and styled to the nines. Not a single hair looks out of place on her. From her smile to her braids, everything about her is perfect as she approaches. 

 

“I thought I would come early, take a few pics for Insta,” she says when they have gotten through all the formalities. 

 

“Maybe we can convince Marco and Zoro to take off their shirts, that would get us some attention.” Ace says it as a joke, but he wouldn’t really mind seeing Marco shirtless again. He hasn’t forgotten a single detail about the one and only opportunity he got when they started planning. 

 

“You wish I’d take of my shirt around you, pervert!” Zoro comes back, having placed the table in the correct spot. Thanks to them regularly working out they’re making good progress. 

 

“Aww, you know I’m the dream of all your sleepless nights,” Ace coos, and just when he thinks Zoro is going to insult him, the door opens again. 

 

It’s Sanji. He looks relaxed and made up as usual, but even from afar Ace can make out the bags under his eyes and the scent of cold smoke hugs him like a cloud. Nervousness is probably the only reason he is here, because according to their time management sheet he could have easily come in hours later. But, the perfectionist that he is, he probably wants to oversee the preparations personally. That he can inspect his working space for the next few hours is probably just another bonus. 

 

Pudding lets out a small noise next to him. She wears too much makeup to see if she is blushing, but suddenly her hands begin to fidget, toying with the phone that she still hasn’t put away. 

 

There goes impartiality. 

 

It’s always weird to witness people who are attracted to each other. As Sanji notices the referee, he begins to greet her in his usual enthusiastic manner. Ace knows it well, but today, instead of an eye roll, Sanji earns a light giggle when Sanji takes her hand and acts like he is about to kiss it. 

 

Ace just hopes he is not that obvious about Marco. 

 

Under the pretense of showing Pudding the highlights of the location, Ace leads her away, joking. He doesn’t suspect that this will be much of a problem, since Sanji is a honest guy and would never cheat for his own benefit, but depending on Thatch’s mood, this could easily lead to unnecessary drama. 

 

When they are far away enough from the crowd of working people, Ace stops and looks down at Pudding. “So, Sanji?”

 

Her answer takes a few seconds, but she sounds almost offended when she replies. “I don’t take food lightly.” 

 

He holds up his hands apologetically. “Hey, you haven’t seen Thatch and Sanji together yet. I just want to make sure they get the nonviolent solution to their... thing.” 

 

For a second there is something in Puddings eyes he can’t name, but it doesn’t fit her sweet and kind exterior. It’s colder, harder. 

 

“Hah, you men!” She acts like she is about to pat his hand. “No one knows what goes on in those tiny little brains of yours.” She laughs, then turns to walk away, holding her phone up as if to take a picture. I could be Ace’s imagination, but to him it didn’t sound real. 

 

Between keeping an overview about the decorations and the oncoming supporters and doing his work, Ace has his work cut out for him. Slowly but steadily the restaurant fills up. Thatch arrives in a better mood than Ace would have expected, declaring that he will “smash that rookie!”

 

Just when Chopper has put up the banner with Zoro’s help, Nami, Vivi and Robin arrive to familiarize themselves with the bar because they’ll be handing out drinks. They also bring an unexpected guest. 

 

A few steps behind the girl group hovers Law, a big bag slumped over his shoulder. He looks as rude as he did the day Ace met him, but trailing behind he stands out, all dressed in black as he is. Chopper, who is sitting on Zoro’s shoulders, jumps from his back and runs over to Law, immediately beginning to chatter. Ace guesses that means that whatever he watched unfold the day Robin and Law met is now a full blown acquaintance at least. 

 

It’s almost time for their lunch break, which they decided they’d be having before the actual contest starts. Before Ace and Marco let everyone off the hook for half an hour, they make sure to check in the kitchen. Thatch and Sanji are already in the kitchen preparing their respective workspaces with concentrated looks on their faces. They’ll be working back to back, which is probably a wise decision. In the middle, Pudding sits on a counter, holding up her phone and talking into the camera, probably violating a dozen health regulations as she goes. 

 

“Everything alright in here?” 

 

All three of them are startled as Marco and Ace enter. They talk logistics for a time, picking out plates, preparing everything so that after the lunch break all Sanji and Thatch have to do is get their ingredients and start cooking.

 

When they are done, they show the dining hall to the cooks. Robin and Nami have set the bar and the tables. Later, when the first guests come in, Robin and Vivi will stand behind the bar, while Chopper and Nami serve the food. Zoro has dishwasher duty, which is the only task Sanji would let him have and only because “it’s not his dishes this moron will break.” 

Marco and Ace will help Thatch and Sanji prepare plates, leaving the crowd management to the girls who can easily hold their own. 

 

They even can extend the break for a full five minutes now. Not for the first time, Ace is incredibly grateful for his friends. They may look like chaos, but when shit hit the fan, they work well together. 

 

They end up not getting nearly enough food and Ace had hoped to squeeze in a power nap before the busy afternoon, but when Marco looks at him questioningly over the heads of the crowd, it’s just impossible to say no. He follows Marco outside, hoping the others will forgive him for it.


	9. 9.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The contest begins.
> 
> Depasei drew Ace blushing! [I have never seen anything this cute <3](http://denpasei.tumblr.com/post/184355518329/my-pieces-for-the-op-big-bang-i-got-to-illustrate)

“Ready?” Marco asks, his playful expression from just moments before completely gone. 

 

“I was born ready.” Ace grins, but it’s mostly to reassure Marco, not because he really feels it. He is just tired. Hopefully someone will have made coffee over the break. 

 

Marco pushes the door open. 

 

A few people still linger on chairs, chatting, but most of the volunteers are pursuing a task, walking through the room with hurried steps. He sees Nami set up the urn in which they want to collect the votes while occasionally taking bites from an energy bar next to her. Robin, Chopper and Law are occupying a corner, looking as if they are in their own strategy meeting. 

 

Zoro is napping somewhere on the floor, propped up against a wall (Ace is jealous), while Vivi is carrying a big box of orange juice packs to the bar. 

 

Marco claps his hands next to him. 

 

“Guys!” Ace calls, drawing attention to himself. “Thank you so much for helping us out today and for assisting in the deflection of a full blown war in our apartment complex!” His friends laugh, but they all know Sanji and how serious the situation can get. “Let’s rock this!” 

 

They were only gone for exactly thirty-five minutes but somehow there are a hundred new problems, big and small, that have occured during that time and need to be solved  _ now _ . The time passes in a blur, and, when everything is finally - finally! - in place, the doors are ready to be opened. 

 

Ace loves his life, usually. But right now, he craves the sweet release of a ten year coma. 

 

He slips into the kitchen and allows himself two minutes of reprieve. Both Thatch and Sanji are already preoccupied, chopping vegetables as if their lives depend on it. Around them are all the ingredients they ordered, neatly stocked into piles, pots and pans on the stove and ready to go. Ace literally has no idea what it takes to cook for so many people at once, but both chefs have a determined look on their face. Everything is silent except for the steady drum of knives against wood. 

 

“Ace! Take a selfie with me!” Pudding is in her place again, sitting between the contestants and looking pleased. Sometimes she sneaks glances at one of them. Ace isn’t entirely sure if his perception is biased, but she seems to linger on Sanji, looking back at his profile every once in a while. He moves over to her, where she routinely holds out her phone. 

 

On the picture she takes they both look awfully familiar with each other. The metal of the counter and the tiles behind them make it look sterile and Pudding’s joyful face seems even more brighter because of it. 

 

“This is going to be fun!” she says as she uploads. “My posts have so many likes already and there are lots of people telling us they can’t wait to get here.” 

 

Even though Ace is confident in their ability to host a party, he would have liked it better if she didn’t say anything. “We’ll make sure it’s a day they’ll never forget.” 

 

Thankfully, as in any scene, most of the people arriving already know each other from somewhere. And even when they don’t, the guests they invited usually follow each other on social media using the time until the appetizers to mingle and network. Slowly but steadily, people come in, smiling brightly and hugging each other, greeted by either Marco or Nami, who has put on her best public persona for the day. 

 

Ace runs around the dining hall, fixing small mistakes, talking to Chopper, who is nervous, and organizing one odd thing or another. He doesn’t even have time to feel tired, and every now and again someone comes up to him to tell him how “unusual” their event is, which makes him grit his teeth. 

 

He knows. 

 

The only consolation are the few looks from Marco he manages to catch, grimaces over people’s heads and a quiet thumbs up. Apparently, things are going well.

 

__ 

 

Sanji and Thatch are nothing if not efficient. 

 

The appetizer is ready forty-five minutes after opening the doors, so that they have to stall the serving to make sure the last people get there in time for the meal. He busies himself with giving them the voting cards and enough cheap pens to supply an army, introducing them to the voting system he and Marco came up with. 

 

Then he goes back into the kitchen. Sanji is talking to Pudding while he stirs something into a pot. It’s a sight. Ace expected him to be anxious or tense, instead Sanji works as if he has done nothing else in his entire life. Only when he is in the process of turning around to look after Thatch, things change. Or namely, Pudding changes, because her smile fades quicker than Ace can see.

 

“If I see you moving one more time I’ll disqualify you!” Just like earlier, there is nothing left of the girl Ace met two weeks ago. Instead her rage probably invokes fear in the heart of men everywhere and the look she sends Sanji is so sharp, it stings just to watch it. 

 

They get put to work quickly. Ace finds himself next to Thatch (he was informed by Pudding that standing next to Sanji would be cheating) drizzling dressing from a spoon down onto plates full of salad. 

 

“Make it artsy,” was Thatch’s only advice when he asked if there were any special requirements. The other man works so quickly Ace can only see a blur of movement. He has never thought about how it would be to work in a kitchen before, but he quickly notices nothing either Sanji or Thatch does is in vain, every movement is measured and timed. They are on a tight schedule, but the contestants don’t seem fazed, they don't look at the big clock that hangs above their heads, they just work. It makes Ace appreciate his college major in a new way- physical therapy is just not as hectic. 

 

He moves as fast as he can, handing plates to Nami, who runs back and forth between the dining hall and the kitchen. She maintains a smile on her face, but the throbbing vein at her temple tells Ace she is stretched thin, so he tries to work even faster. Maybe he can join her for the last run. It is a lot, every guest gets two small plates of salad made from either of the chefs. They color themed the dishes so the difference would be noticeable, but it also means Nami and Chopper have to go twice as fast, both of their hands full with dinnerware. 

 

There is a steady stream of voices and laughter coming from the dining hall every time the kitchen doors swing open. It’s the only way to tell the passage of time. Everything else just blends together. Drizzle, push, reach, drizzle, push, reach. Exchange words with Nami, who tells them about their guest getting restless, try to up the speed once again. Sanji and Thatch are already preparing the main course, guided by ease and practice.

 

Ace really needs a break, but there won’t be one until the guests have finished their appetizer and there will be small window for a toilet break before they have to prepare the plates of the main course. 

 

He wishes he knew what was going on outside, but even if they make it to their break and Marco and Ace rush off to the bathroom, they have no time to pause for a look. They can just trust the girls to handle everything well, and get back to the repetitive work of filling plates and handing them to the waiters. 

 

When they are halfway through the main course preparations, Ace’s feet hurt and his back begins to throb too. He should have thought about bringing painkillers. Clenching his teeth, he tries to ignore it, hoping that this won’t be the time his body wants to catch up on the hours he missed last night. 

 

He wishes for caffeine through an I.V., but all Ace gets is a sympathetic look from Marco, who works a few feet apart from him. He seems to be more serene than Ace, which is not surprising. Marco usually is, and while he has a clear tendency for mischief and adventure, he usually is much more sneaky about it. 

 

Which is not comforting at all. Ace suspects Marco is the type of person who replaces your toothpaste with glue and then acts all sweet about it, if you try to yell at them with your mouth not properly working. His rational exterior means nothing. 

 

It’s enough to keep him going, though. 

 

They push all the way through to dessert, which is plain tiramisu. All in all it takes a little more than two and a half hours and when they are done he feels like every cell in his body is on fire. 

 

He just wants a chair. And a break. A short one, just enough to close his eyes once. His knees feel like jelly. He knows it’s not only the exertion from working under pressure, but also the stupid illness making itself known and messing up his brain. He doesn’t want to risk losing control over his limbs again. So as soon as he hands the last bowl to Nami, he turns around to Marco to ask him for some time. 

 

He leaves the restaurant this time, determined not to be available for any inquiries or organizational disasters that might arise. Outside, the afternoon air is hot and makes it hard to breathe, glimmering in the distance. He sinks to the floor gracelessly. His legs probably would have given up at some point, anyway, so he hopes whatever rest he can squeeze in is enough for them to recover. 

 

His back against the kitchen door, head leaned against the steady concrete walls of the Moby Dick, he takes a deep breath. 

 

__

 

When he wakes, it’s Marco he sees first. The other man sits next to him, looking at him with an indecipherable expression on his face. Ace blinks. He’d fallen asleep again, and as all those times before, he didn’t notice it this time, either. Still not entirely awake, he asks himself how it would be to wake up next to Marco in a real bed, not in the doorway of a restaurant or an elevator. He shakes the thoughts away. What’s more important is that he asked for a short break to get some air and then he fell asleep for god knows how long, probably leaving Marco to look for him when dessert neared its end to count the votes. 

 

“I’m sorry,” he says, but it’s nothing more than a mumble. 

 

“You should have told me if you didn’t get enough rest.” Marco’s voice is serious. He remembers that this was his first impression of him, too, but that after all the late night talks it seems out of place. Marco is not a solemn guy. 

 

Ace doesn’t know what to answer because there isn’t anything he could have told Marco, except maybe the truth. And he is reluctant to share that just yet. He hasn’t gotten a full nights sleep in months. So there’s nothing he could have done anyway. 

 

“I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you,” he murmurs sheepishly, and can only hold himself back from saying ‘again’ in the last possible second. 

 

“It’s okay. Law helped out for a bit, all that’s left to do is count the votes.” 

 

Ace grimaces. So the better part of the day is already over. “Yeah, still. This shouldn’t have happened.” 

 

The way Marco looks at him throws Ace even more off balance. It’s something he hasn’t seen in the other man before, something more determined but strange at the same time. 

 

“You can make it up to me,” he says after a few seconds of silence. 

 

“Really? How?” Ace is unsure how to react. If anybody else said that he would have taken it for flirtation, but Marco has never made a move on him so the probability is disturbingly low. 

 

“Get a drink with me when we’re finished tidying up.” 

 

Ace needs a second to process. Again, he thinks, if it would be literally anybody else, he would have looked coyly to the side, smiled and said something clever. But as much as he wishes it was true, for Marco this is probably just a normal and friendly question. 

 

“Sure.” It sounds way more apathetic than he feels. 

 

“Then you’re off the hook.” And there is is again. Marco’s smile. He hasn’t seen it often, but then again, he hasn’t seen Marco all that often, either. Which is about to change. He has spent time with Marco before and it was good, so this time probably will be too. If he just doesn’t read too much into it, things will be fine. Also it will be a good end to an exhausting day. Even if he shouldn’t have alcohol, he has been craving a beer for hours. 

 

They sit in silence for a few moments longer. Marco gets up first, holding his hand out to Ace to help him up. As he takes it, it dawns on him that this is the first time he has really touched Marco since he fell asleep in the elevator. His hand is warm and still a bit sticky from the food, but Ace still regrets that he has to let go so soon anyway. 

 

Nami and Robin have set up the voting urn, and they find Chopper carefully watching them from where he has taken a seat behind it. Thatch is out of the kitchen now, greeting the people he knows and laughing loudly. He looks relaxed, not like he has just spent hours in the kitchen cooking for dozens of people. Ace envies him for it. Even though he just took an involuntary nap, he doesn’t feel like it. The grogginess just doesn’t want to leave his bones. 

He goes over to Chopper while Marco heads to join Thatch for a bit. Sanji is nowhere to be seen, but he’s probably taking some time to chain smoke a cigarette or six. 

 

“Everyone has had tons of fun!” Chopper’s cheeks are red and his hair a bit unruly. His face betrays the kind of excitement kids feel when they are exhausted but still too wired to feel it. 

 

“Then let’s make sure we send them out with a bang.” He winks at the boy. 

 

They give their guests a few more minutes to vote before he carries the urn to the back room where their things lie. Marco is still socializing with various people, but Ace thinks it’s just fair that he starts working already, since he has left the other man earlier. 

 

Nami slips in after a while, claiming she is just making sure he doesn’t cheat, even though they both know Ace respects the rules of competition. Armed with a notepad and pen, Nami opens the slips of paper they distributed earlier, while Ace does a tally. He is suddenly thrilled to see the outcome. Having seen both Thatch and Sanji work hard today he’d be happy to see either one win and is glad he doesn’t have to make any decisions. 

 

About forty people showed up the contest, excluding the chefs and helpers, but it feels like it were more, even though Nami doesn’t go slow on him. As he sees the lines on his sheet of paper, the seconds seem to stretch. Even though they tried to set this up as a fun event, the outcome will matter to both Thatch and Sanji, and he just hopes the loser will not too disappointed. Or aggravated. 

 

When Nami turns over the urn to see if she has gotten all the notes, there are four neat columns on either side of his spreadsheet. She still holds one in her hand. 

 

“Ready?” she asks, the look on her face almost solemn. She has known Sanji long enough to know that this matters. 

 

“Lay it on me,” he jokes, trying to shake the feeling of heaviness that settles in his gut. Nami opens the note, reads it and pauses for a second. 

 

“Thatch.” 

 

Ace fingers draw the last little line without him noticing. They all knew this was a real possibility, but somehow, he realizes, he hadn’t thought Sanji would actually lose. It’s Sanji. He makes the best food any of them has ever eaten (Though Thatch’s leftover tasted really good). 

 

“I don’t believe it,” Nami mutters next to him. “I didn’t think Thtach had it in him.” 

 

Silence settles between them. Despite Nami’s and Sanji’s differences, they are friends and seeing him lose hurts her. 

 

“Thatch won it fair and square.” Even to his own ears it sounds hollow. 

 

The door opens and Marco sticks his head in. “Oh, you’re already done?” he asks upon seeing the discarded votes scattered all over the floor. 

 

Ace nods, feeling a little odd. “Good news for you.” 

 

Marco smiles again, and it’s the only beautiful thing about all of this. But then he thinks better of it. “Are you two going to be okay? 

 

Nami smiles before he can answer. “Of course. We just wanted to settle things.” It’s a lie, but it’s a good one. Marco gives her another smile, which absolutely doesn’t make Ace jealous before closing the door as he leaves, presumably gathering all the people for the prize giving. They didn’t come up with much, but it’s mostly symbolic anyway. The certainty of the vote was more important. 

 

Nami and Ace need a few more minutes to gather their wits again. He can see in her face that they both think the same and that they are both guessing how Sanji will take his defeat. But in the end, there is nothing left but discard the trash and step outside again. The guests that notice them throw them expectant looks, waiting for the result of the counting. Chopper is still where they left him and Ace spots Robin behind the bar, restocking the glasses that made it through the first round of dishwashing. 

 

Marco tells everyone to gather in the dining area again, while Ace gets the certificate they painted for the winner. As everything, it’s improvised to make more of a show of things, but he guesses a good conclusion is important for the guests. For everyone, really.

 

He leaves everything to Marco after that, who takes over after throwing one look at Ace. Sanji is back again, looking ready to fight and Ace makes a point to stand right next to him, letting him know that he’s watching, but also that he’s there. Even Zoro gets out of the kitchen where he was busy washing the dishes and joins them, though he keeps his distance from the group of friends gathering around Sanji.

 

Marco holds a small speech about how happy he is that everyone took time out of their schedules to come here today, and that he hopes everyone had a good afternoon in good company. 

 

“I realize it’s quite unfair to force you all to make a decision between these two.” The audience giggles. “It’s an incredible privilege to see these two working, especially my brother since he banned me from entering the kitchen at home for life.” More laughter. Ace is glad that Marco is doing this because he isn’t sure if he could make light hearted jokes right now, worried for Sanji’s sanity as he is. 

 

“But now, without further ado-” Marco pulls out an envelope which Ace knows must be empty, because he sure didn’t write anything on it. “-let’s declare the winner and settle this rivalry forever.” He makes it sound like nothing, as if neither of the chefs have threatened the other with actual, physical violence. 

 

“And the winner is-” Ace wouldn’t have counted on it, but he thinks he can hear the audience holding their breaths. But maybe they really are. Sanji and Thatch are two of the most prestigious chefs in the area, having both been featured in magazines and being known all over the city. There are some really important bloggers here and while Ace can’t say that he particularly cares, he knows both of the cooks do. 

 

He doesn’t want to hear it but it happens anyway. 

 

“Thatch!” 

 

There’s applause, and from the corner of his eyes Ace sees Thatch make his way from the corner where he stood to the stage, smiling brightly, but his eyes are firmly glued to Sanji as if to say ‘I told you so’. Ace notices the fist his friend makes, hard enough that his knuckles go white. 

 

He puts his hands on Sanji’s shoulder, not saying anything, but hoping the physical contact conveys the message. Even Nami steps closer to them. 

 

Together they watch how Thatch accepts his certificate, smirking and hugging his brother. 

 

Sometimes, Ace thinks, Life sucks really bad. 

 


	10. 10.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marco and Ace go for a consolation drink and get surprised.
> 
> And as a final gift, depasei left this fic with [art of Marco's and Ace's first date!](http://denpasei.tumblr.com/post/184355518329/my-pieces-for-the-op-big-bang-i-got-to-illustrate) I am so happy and honored that this story inspired such amazing pictures. 
> 
> This has been a wild ride from start to finish and this fic got me through a lot. Thank you for sticking around to the last chapter, and I hope to see you guys again some time. 
> 
> Please consider leaving feedback or emojis in the commets!

The cleanup is a way less spirited affair than setting up in the morning. 

 

They are all tired, and while Thatch and Marco seem to be in a really good mood, Ace’s friends are unusually quiet. Sanji takes his set of knives and vanishes as soon as he can, apologizing to Nami and Robin for leaving them with all the work (and promising them he will make it up to them in any way they want,  _ wink wink _ ). Zoro muttered something about how he always knew that Sanji was a shitty cook, but shut up after the girls (and Chopper) glared at him.

 

To Ace’s surprise, Law is still there and helping  clean, even though he doesn’t talk to a single one of them except Chopper. He helps set the tables back to their places, joins Zoro to take the dishes out of the dishwasher, and this time it’s his shoulders Chopper sits on when they take the banner down. 

 

Marco smiles at Ace from across the room, and even if he still looks really hot, there is an apologetic undertone to it. 

 

Even if he knows he’ll never hear the end of it from Sanji, Ace can’t wait to get out of here. He really craves that drink he set up with Marco earlier. Sometimes they try to make jokes, but they fall flat, being way too soon after Sanji’s defeat. 

 

He hadn’t thought they’d take it so hard. But he is surprised by his own reaction, so what right does he have to judge his friends. 

 

So they work in silence, doing their best to get this over with as soon as possible. For some reason, Pudding is still there, taking selfies with Thatch and chatting while nobody else does. Maybe Sanji is the reason, and more than once she strays from the group to exchange a few quick words with him. Ace feels a bit sorry for her; she probably expected a fun time, but he doesn’t have the capacity to really care. His limbs feels like they are made of lead and he hopes he won’t fall asleep again. And nothing else from his long list of symptoms happens. Hopefully his body will cooperate just one damn time. 

 

Eventually he feels unsteady on his feet and as much as he hates it, Ace has to excuse himself again, because he is afraid his knees will do the thing again if he isn’t careful. They might do it anyway, but he’s not willing to take the risk right now. 

 

He hides in the back room for a bit, hoping these few stolen moments are enough to relax him. And that he keeps from making the same mistake as earlier. He makes a point of keeping his eyes open, counting the number of tiles on the ceiling. It’s boring, but it’s better than to let himself doze off for an uncertain amount of time. Usually, his involuntary naps don’t take long, but with the rate at which things have been happening lately, he doesn’t want today be the day to find out what his illness can get up to. 

 

Ace doesn’t have a clock so it’s hard to tell how much time passes. Eventually the door opens again. Someone must be looking for him by now so he gets up to greet them, only to see Robin’s back stumbling into the room, followed by Laws ridiculous hat, both stumbling and uncoordinated. They crash against the wall opposite the door and Ace is suddenly really happy he didn’t take up residence there. 

 

There is an awkward moment where he tries to figure out if he should make his presence known or just sit it out, but then he sees Robin’s hand trail up Law’s chest , trying to strip him of his shirt. 

 

It’s definitely time to leave. 

 

He clears his throat a little more loudly than strictly necessary. 

 

Robin spins around, only to settle quickly when she spots him. A smile plays around her lips and she doesn’t look embarrassed in the slightest. Opposite to that, Law looks like he might die any second. 

 

Ace wouldn’t have thought it was possible for the other man to blush, but his cheeks are a traitorous pink, and he looks right over Ace’s shoulder, as if there is something incredibly interesting happening on the wall. 

 

He gets up, still not fully trusting his legs. 

 

“Go on, don’t let me disturb you,” he says and winks at his friend who, in turn, just gives him a small smirk, like this is what she intended to do all along. And, knowing Robin, Ace isn’t that far from the truth. 

 

He gets out of the room as quickly as possible, shaking his head as if that will free him of the memories of watching Robin kissing someone. It doesn’t even really matter that it was Law (but that makes it worse), he just didn’t ever want to think of Robin that way.

 

“You look like you have seen a ghost,” Marco remarks as he spots him. 

 

“I think i might have.” Ace still feels slightly torn. He doesn’t really have parents to compare it with, but he think this is the equivalent of seeing someone in your family have sex. 

 

“I think I’m ready to go now,” he replies, not sharing his thoughts. He’s not sure Marco would understand. 

 

The other man laughs. “Just give me a minute to say goodbye to Thatch. We’re almost done anyway.” He disappears into the kitchen, which hopefully is where Thatch resides at the moment. 

 

Chopper is asleep at one of the tables, head resting on his arms. He looks beat even as he sleeps, and Ace does not envy Robin, who has to take him home soon, at all. But what Chopper did today was impressive and, once again, Ace feels like he doesn’t deserve to have a friend who is ready to exert himself like this. 

 

Zoro and Nami, unusually amicable, right the last details in the dining area. They did it. 

 

Even though the image of Law and Robin making out is still fresh in his mind, he can’t help the grin that spreads over his face. The day didn’t go as they’d hoped, but they made it through. All that’s left to do is to comfort Sanji (by bestowing him a ton of compliments) and move on from this. 

 

Eventually, Marco returns to him, looking pleased with himself. 

 

“Let’s make our escape,” he says, eyes twinkling. They make their way towards the door. Zoro watches them from his corner of the room, so it’s not like they’re escaping for real, but the stoic face of his friend says he’s okay with taking things over for now. Ace mouths a quiet ‘Thank you’ as he steps through the door. He should get Zoro a bottle of sake tomorrow. 

 

“So, where to?” he asks Marco who waited for him in front of the building. 

 

“There’s a pub nearby that has some really good craft beer.” 

 

Ace shrugs. For him, beer is beer and his tastes are not expensive. He just longs to leave the Moby Dick behind him for today. 

 

Before they can leave though, the door opens again. And, again, it’s Law of all people who steps through. 

 

“I wanted to talk to you,” he states, eyes on Ace with an unwavering look that is completely destroyed by his still-flushed cheeks. 

 

When he looks at Marco, he just shruggs rucking his chin into the direction of the street corner, indicating that he’ll be waiting over there. Ace is grateful for his discretion as he turns back to Law, who suddenly looks serious. 

 

“I know about your condition,” the doctor tells him. 

 

Well, fuck. It’s logical that after Ace passed out on his couch he would draw his own conclusion, but he’d be lying if he said he had prefered if Law didn’t. Briefly he wonders if Robin told Law something, but he immediately feels bad about it. Robin is secretive and she values privacy above all else. She wouldn’t do that to him. 

 

His only response is a noncommittal grunt. 

 

“Look, I found out about it and I know it will only impact your life further.” It’s true, Law looks really uncomfortable. His back is straight and his arms are crossed in front of his chest. Ace can’t tell if it’s because of the subject of their talk or the makeout session he witnessed earlier. 

 

Neither option would make it easier though, so he just stands there and listens. 

 

“I’m a cardiologist, but I know that the neurology department in my hospital is doing a new study on narcolepsy. I could get you in, if you want.” 

 

As with everything related to his illness, the words take a few moments to process. But the conclusion is still the same. “I don’t have any money.” 

 

Law’s lips curl in what might be the imitation of a smile. “It’s a study. They’ll pay you if you decide to partake.” 

 

Ace is baffled. “Wait- What?” 

 

“Chopper probably told you that people with narcolepsy usually require extensive testing and a stay in the sleep laboratory to get their diagnosis confirmed,” Law responds. He looks way more self assured now, probably the side effect of talking about his job. “So if I diagnose you with narcolepsy based on Choppers data, this study would provide support and medication tailored to your needs, although experimental.” 

 

Ace blurts but the words before he can think clearly. “Are you serious?” 

 

“Why wouldn’t I be?.” Law’s voice is icy. It doesn’t intimidate Ace, but he really can’t see what Robin and Chopper see in this guy. 

 

“That would solve everything.” His mouth is way faster than his brain, but as he thinks about it, it becomes clearer and clearer that if he could get into the study Law talks about, he wouldn’t have to lie to Nami and the others anymore. And maybe the doctors could point him in the right direction. 

 

“It’s an experimental study,” Law repeats. “The closest they are to a solution is what they’ve tested on pigs so far. You’d be treated in the first round of human trials.” 

 

Ace doesn’t care. If Chopper is right and his condition is incurable, this might be the only chance he get to make a difference in coping with it. “It’s fine. I’ll do it.” 

 

Law looks dumbfounded for a second, an expression so uncharacteristic for him it almost makes Ace laugh. “I warned you,” he says, slowly, as if Ace is stupid. 

 

He feels elated. Maybe even hopeful. Whatever comes out of this, at least he tried. And he intends to try really, really hard. “Doesn’t matter. It will work,” he answers with new found confidence. “It cannot possibly be worse than it is now.” 

 

The look on Law’s face is priceless. They don’t speak for while, just assessing each other. Law looks at him as if he is trying to figure out if Ace is crazy, and Ace wonders what brought the change that turned Law from the neighbor who almost got them kicked out of their apartment to someone who offers help when it’s needed. 

 

“Very well. I’ll give you the details tomorrow.” With one final look, Law turns around and goes back inside again in big strides. It would look impressive if Ace didn’t remember Robin’s possessive gesture from earlier vividly. 

 

__

 

When Marco and Ace finally make it to the pub, it’s later than either of them intended it to be. 

 

“I really thought we’d be finished sooner,” Marco sighs when he comes back to their table with two beers in hand. 

 

“There were a lot of things we didn’t think about beforehand,” Ace responds, taking the cold glass between his hands. It’s such a relief to be in a room of people who know nothing about him. His legs thank him for sitting down again, still feeling strained from standing all afternoon. 

 

“It’s true. Though I think we did well for our first time.” Marco slides into the booth beside him, just a few inches too close for comfort. 

 

“Hopefully we’ll never have to do anything like this again.” 

 

“I drink to that, “ Marco says and lifts his glass. As Ace clinks his against it, their eyes meet. Marco looks at him the same way he did in the afternoon, serious and piercing. 

 

Ace swore himself he wouldn’t read anything into this, but Marco really makes it hard for him. 

 

“Do you think Sanji will get over it?” 

 

Ace smiles at the question. Between the stress of the day and Thatch’s victory, he wouldn’t have expected Marco to take the other chef’s feelings into account. His answer is a bit longer than it strictly needs to be, and he tells Marco about what kind of person Sanji is in between cool sips of beer. His feet slowly relax, tingling under the table as they notice he isn’t going to use them for a long while. 

 

From Sanji they move the topic of conversation to their own failed cooking experiments. And then to how much adulting sucks, with a second round of drinks because alcohol is the only upside of not being a minor anymore. 

 

Ace feels the beer go to his head immediately. He hasn’t touched booze in weeks, and the fact that he hasn’t eaten since lunchtime doesn’t make it any better. Eventually, he lets himself sink just a little bit closer to Marco, just because he can, and the other man doesn’t protest. He is all too aware of Marco’s arm that rests upon the backrest of his bench. He wishes the other would move it down, lay it on Ace’s shoulder instead, but since it’s not going to happen he settles for this, laughing at some anecdote Marco tells about Thatch and how he learned to cook. 

 

It’s not perfect, but it’s good and if he wasn’t so hungry he’d love to stay here with Marco forever, just talking, drinking and laughing about the stupidest things. 

 

When they reach their third round, Marco tells him about how he always wanted to go to the sea as a kid and they spend some time trading childhood stories. Ace even tells him about the makeshift treehouse and the plan of his brothers to become pirates when they grew up. 

 

Sabo had gotten the closest, he suspects, with his upcoming record of civil disobedience. 

 

Both of their faces are flushed and their words a little unsteady. They are leaning close to each other, as if they are trading secrets, even if there’s no one else near to hear them. The distance between them feels electrifying, taunting Ace to bypass it and let his hand rest on Marco’s, lean in just a little closer and put his head against his shoulder. 

 

The thoughts wear him down little by little, and maybe the beer plays its part too, because after a while, he seriously considers it, especially since they are getting more and more dizzy and he could play it off as being drunk in the morning. 

 

Ace feels his muscles go lax, subconsciously making the decision for him. He’s about to fall sideways against Marco, he can almost feel him from here, and he probably imagines it, but Marco is warm where he is cold, and- 

 

His stomach grumbles, making it known that it demands to be fed. 

 

“Didn’t you eat?” Marco asks. 

 

When Ace asks  when he should have had time for that, Marco informs him that Sanji made enough food for every one of the helpers, Thatch and Marco included. 

 

That sounds exactly like him. 

 

Ace probably overslept his chance for an early dinner when he took an impromptu nap in the doorway earlier. Or when he took a break in the wardrobe. He decides to make a joke out of it. 

 

“Well, it was either eat or sleep and now you know my priorities.” Though if he had a say in it he’d probably have gone with the food. 

 

“Well, there’s a McDonald’s on the way home.” Marco doesn’t sound convinced, but at this point, Ace isn’t picky anymore. Getting some food into his system would probably have the side effect to erase the thoughts of just kissing Marco senseless that keep worming their way into his head. 

 

“Yes, food!” He knows he’s half moaning, but that’s just another thing he doesn’t care about anymore. 

 

Marco laughs as he gets up from the booth. “Then let me treat you to dinner.” 

 

He makes it sound like a date, and that hurts a little. 

 

They exit the bar a bit unsteady on their feet but still good to go. Ironically, the McDonald’s is not that far from the Moby Dick and on their way to the subway. They make it there without incident, but their journey is accompanied by lots of silly giggling and making fun of the few billboards they come across. Exhaustion and alcohol make Ace more reckless, and he gives imitations of a few especially noteworthy ones, arching his back and copying the silly pose of the bikini models on the posters. 

 

At eleven in the evening, the restaurant, if you can call it that, is almost empty, which is all the better for Ace. He doesn’t even have to think about what he orders. The cashier looks at him strangely when he order a total of eight cheeseburgers, but he is beyond the point of caring. He also gets a milkshake for good measure, because even a bad milkshake is a good milkshake, and they emerge after a few minutes. 

 

Marco refuses to take the cheeseburger Ace offers him, not knowing how hard it was for Ace to hold it out for him in the first place. 

 

“There’s a bench at the end of the parking lot,” Marco informs him. “You can eat there and you won’t have to take this into the subway.” He throws Ace’s bag a doubtful glance. Ace bets Marco is one of the people that complains about the smell of food on the train, if he ever does take the train at all. 

 

Humming around the first bite of his burger, Ace settles to just following Marco, even though he wouldn’t have complained about eating on the go. He is slowed down a bit by the effort of inhaling as much of the cheeseburger as possible in one bite, while the other man just patiently waits for him to catch up. 

 

Ace has always known he and his brothers are a bit peculiar when it comes to food, especially when it’s about the amount of any given meal. Ace reacts badly to be being hungry. While it’s entirely possible for him to go days without food (he’s tested), hunger makes him lethargic and angry, two words he wouldn’t normally describe himself with. 

 

The parking space is dark and empty. There is only one lonesome lantern illuminating the vast space and it feels a bit like horror movie when they cross it. Their steps echo on the pavement. 

 

“You’re not a serial killer, are you?” he asks, mouth still full of meat and synthetic cheese. 

 

“If I was, I would have picked a more symbolic crime scene,” Marco laughs, guiding him to the far end that still lies in the dark. “Killing someone here would be… anticlimactic.” 

 

“That’s fair. Please kill me somewhere with roses.” He spits a few pieces of half chewed dinner in Marco’s general direction while he talks, but hopes the darkness will cover it up. He doesn’t need another embarrassment in front of him. 

 

“We’re almost there. Just trust me.” 

 

“That’s exactly what a serial killer would say.” 

 

They step through a small path between bushes, worn out not by intent, but many feet who just made their way through there. He can see the bench now. It’s still in the half dark, but a lamp from the nearby street gives enough light for him to make out its shadow. And a silhouette sitting on it. It’s vaguely familiar, but it’s not until the person moves their head that he knows for sure. He’d know that haircut and color everywhere. 

 

“No way. Sanji?” he calls, just at the same time Marco says “Thatch?”

 

There’s a second silhouette that Ace didn’t see at first, though that immense pompadour should have been hard to overlook. He blames it on his empty stomach as both people spin around in their seats. 

 

Sanji looks clearly shaken. “Ace?” he asks, as if it’s a shock to him to see his friend in this part of town, as if they didn’t spend the afternoon in the same building. 

 

“What are you doing here? I thought you left ages ago!” Something is wrong about Sanji. He looks strangely nervous, a look that Ace doesn’t see on him often and that doesn’t suit him in the least. 

 

“Yeah, I took a walk,” the other man responds but Ace notices he tries to sneak one of his hands into the pocket of his pants. It’s a crumpled piece of paper, and in the dim light it looks brown, but Ace can’t make it out clearly. 

 

Next to Sanji, Thatch gets up as Marco approaches him, smiling awkwardly. “I thought you guys went home already!” 

 

Marco shakes his head, but then his gaze drops to Thatch’s hands. It’s not an unusual sight, but it’s so out of context that can’t help but laugh. In Thatch’s hands in what clearly is half an eaten burger, wrapped in the white and brown packaging he knows well from his former fast food escapades. 

 

“Please tell me this isn’t true,” Marco says. He looks shaken, like his whole world just fell apart in a second. 

 

“Look, Marco, it was late and-” 

 

“You banned me from the kitchen.” Marco interrupts him. It’s like he is seeing his brother for the first time in his life. Judgement and wonder are written all over his face, his mouth slightly agape and brows furrowed. 

 

There’s something going on that Ace doesn’t fully understand but then he sees Sanji’s guilty face. It can’t be. “Oh fuck. Sanji, you’ve been eating McDonald’s?!” 

 

He realizes it’s a bit hypocritical to be outraged while holding bag full of burgers in his hand himself. But then again, he isn’t the one who holds lectures on health and clean eating, nor is he the one to regularly complain about the bad quality of supermarket food. He remembers very clearly that Sanji once tried to prohibit Luffy and him eating fast food, and even though telling Luffy what to do is as good as talking to a wall, Sanji tried. He got really invested and dug up pictures of the production process and everything. 

 

Maybe Ace’s own hypocrisy is the secondary issue here. 

 

Sanji looks at him, eyes pleading. “Please don’t tell anyone. Don’t tell the shitty old man.” He’s referring to his father, Zeff, who would probably give him an earful if he knew what his son was up to. “And Mosshead. Please don’t ever tell mosshead.” 

 

It’s almost comical how pained Sanji looks when he says Zoro’s nickname, and with what conviction he looks at Ace with. He probably suspects that, while Zeff would be less than pleased, Zoro would never let him live that down, and Sanji would come home to the occasional hamburger or two delivered to his front door by his ever apprehensive roommate. 

 

Next to Sanji, Thatch does the same with Marco. “You can’t let Izo know. I’ll never have a quiet moment in my life again.” 

 

Ace might be moved by Sanji’s sudden humbleness, but Marco’s expression is set in stone. 

 

“You told me I have no idea how food works and that you will steal my atlases if you caught me with your knives.” He is unforgiving. 

 

“I’m sorry,” Thatch whimpers. “I take it back. I take it all back.” 

 

But Marco is still not satisfied. “I want my shopping privileges returned.” 

 

Now that’s sounds like an interesting story. Ace resolves to find out about it later. 

 

Thatch nods. He looks like a scolded child. Head hanging low, he looks down at the top of his shoes. Ace could swear he bites his lip, but it’s too dark to really see. 

 

“Does that mean ceasefire?” Ace blurts out, partly because the situation makes him uncomfortable, partly because after everything that happened today, he needs to  _ know _ . 

 

The chefs exchange a look, communicating wordlessly. Which is quite impressive, seeing as a few weeks ago they were at each other’s throats. But now, there seems to be a quiet understanding between them. Maybe that’s how it is if you meet a colleague at a fast food restaurant. 

 

“Yes,” they answer almost in unison. 

 

“At least that’s something.” Marco runs a hand through his hair. “I’ll store this information for later,” he informs his brother, who still looks weirdly intimidated.”You owe me one.” Maybe that’s how other families work, having a hierarchy between older and younger siblings. Ace envies it. 

 

Sanji, still not having received his answer, stays where he is, eyes trained to Ace. While he thinks of the right thing to answer, Ace’s stomach growls again, demanding the rest of his provisions. 

 

“Fine. But only if you scoot over so I can sit while I eat.” 

 

Sanji lets out an audible breath. His concern for Zoro knowing must have been intense then. 

 

Somehow, they all manage to squeeze themselves on the small park bench, though Thatch’s ass dangles dangerously in the air. He makes do though, and doesn’t complain. 

 

“If I knew it would be so easy I’d have taken you both here ages ago,” Marco sighs and leans back. 

 

“Hey, it’s not like I do this regularly!” Thatch is quick to defend himself, but one looks from Marco sets it right. “At least not that often.” 

 

Ace would like to know how often Sanji gives into his guilty pleasure, but his mouth is too full with food to speak right now. He listens to Marco bicker with his brother for a while before they both turn to Sanji again and make some clever remark about Pudding being incredibly smitten with him. 

 

Today is clearly a strange day. Because instead of cheering and declaring his eternal love for a beautiful woman who is well versed in the arts of preparing food, Sanji just stares awkwardly to the ground.

 

“Maybe,” he says. “She seemed to be more interested in Zoro’s sister, though.” 

 

“Zoro’s sister was there?” Trying to speak was mistake, all that is audible is “Ooasahase?” that no one seems to understand. He tries again after he swallowed about half of the contents of his mouth. 

 

“She’s some kind of influencer,” Sanji says, pointedly ignoring Ace’s lack of manners. The fact that Ace has knowledge to hold over him is probably the only thing that keeps him from correcting him. “Looks like a goth lady, very beautiful. Maybe you’ve seen her.” 

 

But Ace can’t remember any of the faces of their guests, even if he invited half of them. So he just shrugs. 

 

“I’m sorry. Next time.” 

 

Sanji’s sidelong glance is not optimistic. 

 

Marco asks what the big deal about Zoro’s sister is and Sanji and Ace explain in turn that Zoro never introduced them to any of his family, neither his foster father nor his biological parents. They add the bit of background information that they know about him, which quickly turns into telling Thatch and Marco more about the people who worked with them today. And by the time Ace has finished his last burger, the tension from before is broken. Sanji’s back has straightened and even if Thatch has not fully recovered yet, he seems to be well on his way. 

 

Eventually, they decide to head to the subway. Marco is leaving his car at the Moby Dick for now, even though it earns him a blank look from his brother, It secretly pleases Ace because it means he gets to spend more time with Marco, even if it’s in a group. 

 

They walk down the emptying streets of the city together, Sanji next to Thatch. They look almost peaceful like this, and if Ace hadn’t seem the contest for himself he wouldn’t have believed what had transpired over the course of the day. 

 

The only noise is their quiet chatter and the sound of far away police sirens. Ace likes it like that. Marco is a steady presence, his steps almost in line with his, looking around into the dark windows of the shops. 

 

Quite a lot has happened today, Ace thinks. From Zoro’s mysterious sister, to the surprising outcome of their first, and hopefully last, cooking contest, to his drink with Marco. And Law, who magically presented a solution for the Nami problem as well as possible treatment for his traitorous body. Just now, everything seems like it’s going to be okay. 

 

Ace revels in that feeling, letting it wash over him like hot warm water. He hopes he won’t forget it too soon, because life always has a habit of getting tough again. But whatever happens, he is probably getting a full night’s sleep tonight, and that’s worth a lot on it’s own. 

 

And if Marco wordlessly sneaks his hand in Ace’s - well, that makes it even better. 

**Author's Note:**

> Come find me on tumblr, @zorotrash


End file.
